Pakistan vs New Zealand ICC U19 World Cup 2026: Complete Match Preview & Analysis

Pakistan will take on New Zealand in an upcoming ICC U19 World Cup clash on January 27. It is a crucial Super Sixes contest in which the Green Shirts will aim to dominate the young Kiwi side. After producing strong performances in the first round of the tournament, Pakistan will look to carry its momentum into the Super Sixes stage. The competition in this round would be much higher, so all eyes would be on the star players of the young Pakistan side.   

The recent performance of New Zealand in the ICC U19 World Cup 2026 have been below par, as their young players have not performed as per the expectations. However, the upcoming match against Pakistan in the Super Sixes gives them an opportunity to showcase their talent. It won’t be an easy task, as Pakistan have been playing good cricket for quite some time. They would be looking to thrash the New Zealand team in the upcoming match to start their Super Sixes campaign on a high note.

In this article, we will review the upcoming Pakistan vs New Zealand match in detail. This will give you an insight into how both teams are preparing for the Super Sixes clash, and who will be their key players in the next match. Let’s first take a quick look at how Pakistan performed in the first round of the ICC U19 World Cup 2026.

A Dominant First Round Performance by Pakistan U19 Team

Pakistan displayed a strong performance in the first round of the ICC U19 World Cup 2026. Despite losing the first match against England, Pakistan remained confident to perform strongly in the other matches. As a result, they made a solid comeback against Scotland with a commanding victory by 6 wickets. Ali Raza and Usman Khan remained the most notable players, as their performances helped the green shirts to win the match convincingly.

The Pakistan team then took the momentum into the next game, and defeated Zimbabwe in a dominant fashion. A stunning batting performance by Sameer Minhas stole the limelight, as he struck 74 in the second innings to help Pakistan chase the target inside 27 overs. Besides him, Ali Raza also starred with the ball by taking 3 wickets in the first innings. This commanding victory over Zimbabwe allowed Pakistan to secure second place on the Group C points table.

Match Strategy of Pakistan Against New Zealand

Pakistan have played with a set batting lineup in the recent World Cup matches, with Sameer Minhas leading from the front. The batting strategy of the team is pretty straightforward, in which openers play a big role in setting up the foundation. As seen in the last few matches, the team prefers to keep wickets in hand, allowing batters to settle at the crease for a big score. In the upcoming match against New Zealand, they will once again aim to build a strong start by batting steadily in the first ten overs. The in-form openers will then look to play big innings by attacking New Zealand in the middle overs.

Talking about the bowling plans, Pakistan have a strong pace attack that is capable of taking wickets up front. With AIi Raza and Mohammad Sayyam leading the attack in the Powerplay, the Pakistan team will look to remove the Kiwi openers early to take an edge in the match. They also have quality spinners to bowl in the middle overs, adding versatility to the team’s attack. Their combined efforts will aim to dismantle New Zealand on a low score, just like they did against other teams in the previous group stage matches.    

Key Players for Pakistan

Sameer Minhas

Sameer Minhas is the key batter in Pakistan’s opening order. He has made a strong name for himself in a short period of time, which is why the team heavily relies on his performance. His knock against Zimbabwe in the last match was breathtaking, showcasing his ability and skills to play a big innings. A similar kind of performance would be needed from him in the upcoming match, as that will allow Pakistan to post a big total. His presence at the crease also boosts the confidence of other batters, so the team will expect him to bat through the middle overs as long as possible.

Ali Raza

Ali Raza is the lead pacer of the Pakistan bowling attack. He has the ability to swing the ball both ways, which makes him a highly dangerous threat for the opening batters. The young Pakistan star has troubled many oppositions with his great pace, making him a key asset to pick wickets in the first Powerplay. Considering the struggling form of New Zealand batters, Ali Raza would look to come up with an aggressive spell in the next match to take quick wickets. He will also play a key role for the team in the death overs alongside Mohammad Sayyam and others.

Match Strategy of New Zealand Against Pakistan

New Zealand have been struggling to find form with the bat in the ongoing ICC U19 World Cup 2026. Their batters have struggled to adjust to the slow and low pitches in Zimbabwe, which often require patience and composure at the crease. They faced this problem in the last match against India, in which their batting failed miserably. The top order looked very uncomfortable against the Indian bowlers, who showcased great discipline in the opening overs. To win the next match against Pakistan, New Zealand will need a solid batting display from the openers to build an early foundation.

As far as bowling is concerned, they need to devise plans against the in-form Pakistan openers. They need to dismiss Sameer Minhas and Usman Khan early to put pressure on Pakistan which usually relies on the top order runs. The Black Caps have plenty of promising pacers to take wickets upfront, such as Flynn Hasson Morey, Mason Clarke and more others.

Key Players for New Zealand

Tom Jones

Tom Jones is the captain of the New Zealand team in the ongoing ICC U19 World Cup 2026. He is a top-order batter with solid technique and intent. Although his recent performances have been below expectations, his potential to hurt Pakistan in the next match cannot be underestimated. He is a specialist player who understands the requirements of batting at different stages. He will therefore play a key role for New Zealand in the upcoming match, provided the middle order also supports him to play a big innings.

Flynn Hasson Morey

Flynn Hasson Morey has the pace to trouble Pakistan batters in the next match. Being an opening bowler, his job is to take early wickets and put brakes on the scoring rate. The team relies on him to produce breakthroughs in the first ten overs, as that allows the Kiwis to control the run rate in the middle overs. Morey will back himself to remove the in-form Pakistan openers by attacking the stumps. If he succeeds in removing Sameer Minhas early, the Black Caps will have a strong chance to put further pressure on Pakistan by halting the scoring rate.

Probable Playing XI of Pakistan

Sameer Minhas, Ali Hassan Baloch, Usman Khan, Ahmed Hussain, Farhan Yousaf (c), Huzaifa Ahsan, Hamza Zahoor (wk), Abdul Subhan, Momin Qamar, Mohammad Sayyam, Ali Raza

Probable Playing XI of New Zealand

Aryan Mann, Hugo Bogue, Tom Jones (c), Snehith Reddy, Marco Alpe (w), Jacob Cotter, Brandon Matzopoulos, Callum Samson, Flynn Morey, Harry Burns, Mason Clarke

Final Words

The upcoming World Cup clash between Pakistan and New Zealand promises to be an enthralling contest. Pakistan will be looking to start their Super Sixes campaign with a big win; however, it won’t be an easy task against New Zealand. After losing their last match against India, the Black Caps will aim for a strong comeback to strengthen their position on the points table. This makes the next clash highly interesting, as fans can expect competitive cricket from both sides.