Mickey Arthur reckons Pakistan have gelled well with the conditions in New Zealand

As the countdown for Pakistan tour of New Zealand begins, coach Mickey Arthur is optimistic regarding the team’s preparations. Asserting that the players have adjusted well with the conditions, he looked forward to the warm-up game on Wednesday.

Arthur was appointed the head coach of Pakistan in 2016. There has been no looking back ever since as Pakistan have enjoyed decent success under his guise. Other than speaking about the conditions, he addressed the challenge of winning overseas.

We have acclimatized well with the New Zealand conditions

Arthur remarked that the Pakistan team is well versed with the conditions and that the preparations by both batsmen as well as the bowlers had been in full swing.

“The team has been really good. We have acclimatized well with these conditions. We had three good sessions of training in which bowlers bowled enough number of overs and batsmen were able to work on defence,” the coach said.

Winning away from home is a challenge 

Last time when Pakistan toured New Zealand in 2016, they were whitewashed 2 nil by the hosts in the Test series. However, Arthur feels that the results would be better for the visiting team, this time around and sounded confident of achieving success.

“I am really confident about better results. We have a very balanced team. We have been consistent and players know their roles. I am confident that if we play up to our abilities then we will be a very good match for the New Zealand team and get some success here,” he said.

Further, he lauded the Kiwi side for their valour. Calling it as a tough series, Arthur proclaimed that the warm-up game would be a rehearsal for the Pakistani side. He also defined it as a challenge to win away from home.

“NZ in these conditions are incredibly good, the practice match tomorrow will be full dress rehearsal for what is going to be a really, really tough series for us. Winning away from home really defines you as a team. So, this is our challenge,” Arthur said.

Playing XI for the warm-up game

Mickey Arthur also confirmed Pakistan’s playing eleven for the warm-up game against New Zealand XI.

Playing XI: Sarfraz Ahmed, Fakhar Zaman, Azhar Ali, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Rumman Raees and Mohammad Amir.