Arslan Abbas, son of former Pakistani cricketer, set to make New Zealand debut

(Web Desk): Mohammad Arslan Abbas, the son of former Pakistani cricketer Azhar Abbas, is set to make his debut for New Zealand in their upcoming match against Pakistan.

Arslan, a first-class cricketer, was selected for the New Zealand squad based on his strong domestic performances.

Azhar Abbas, who played 45 first-class matches, moved to New Zealand with his family and continued his cricket career by playing for Auckland and Wellington. He is now the assistant coach for the Wellington Firebirds.

Arslan, who can bat in the middle order and bowl, was chosen for his versatility. His inclusion comes as New Zealand's squad will be missing senior players like Mitchell Santner, Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway, and Glenn Phillips, who are unavailable due to their commitments with the Indian Premier League (IPL).

With the senior players absent, new players will have the chance to showcase their skills during the upcoming one-day series against Pakistan.

Earlier, New Zealand’s fast bowlers dominated Pakistan in challenging swinging conditions, leading to a massive 115-run victory that secured the series for New Zealand with a 3-1 lead. Pakistan, chasing a target of 221, was bowled out for just 105 runs. The final match of the series will be played on Wednesday at the Sky Stadium in Wellington.

New Zealand's Jacob Duffy made an early impact, taking three wickets during the powerplay to put Pakistan on the back foot. Pakistan never recovered from the early collapse and struggled to cope with the swing and seam movement offered by the conditions. Unlike in Auckland, Pakistan couldn’t take advantage of the dew factor in this game.

The chase started poorly for Pakistan, with Will O'Rourke, making his first appearance of the series, removing Mohammed Haris early. Duffy then dismissed Hasan Nawaz and captain Salman Agha in the second over. Zakary Foulkes also got in on the action, dismissing Shadab Khan on his first ball with an inswinger. Pakistan quickly lost eight wickets for just 56 runs.

Although No. 7 batsman Abdul Samad fought hard with a 44 off 30 balls, Pakistan’s chase was already nearly over by the halfway point. Duffy returned for his final over, taking another wicket to finish with 4 for 20, while Foulkes took three wickets overall.