PAK-NZ ODI series not to be part of World Cup Super League due to non-availability of DRS

The upcoming ODI series between Pakistan and New Zealand won’t be part of the ICC Cricket World Cup Super League due to the non-availability of the Decision Review System (DRS). The series will now be considered a bilateral series. Pakistan failed to arrange ICC approved DRS operators for the series after BCCI hired them for the IPL. Notably, DRS is a mandatory condition in all ICC tournaments.

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"Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and New Zealand Cricket have mutually agreed to change the status of next week's ODI series to a bilateral series from the ICC Cricket World Cup Super League fixtures due to the non-availability of Decision Review System (DRS), a requirement in the event playing conditions," PCB said in a statement.’

Meanwhile, the New Zealand team will return to Pakistan to play two Tests and three ODIs in the 2022-23 season and the ODI leg of the series will count towards the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 qualification. “As New Zealand will return to Pakistan in the 2022-23 season to play two Tests and three ODIs, the two boards have agreed that these 50-over matches will now count towards the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 qualification,” PCB said in a release.

The New Zealand team landed in Pakistan on Saturday. They will now serve three days in isolation before hitting their first training session on 15th September. In addition to the three ODIs, the teams will also cross swords in five T20Is which will serve as warm-ups for the T20 World Cup.

Having lost the T20I series against Bangladesh, New Zealand will be keen to turn the tables against Pakistan. However, they will have to punch above their weight to beat Pakistan, considering they are without some of their big players.