Tim Southee wary of Pakistan ahead of Test series

New Zealand pacer Tim Southee has admitted that Pakistan are a quality side ahead of the two-match Test series, starting on Boxing Day at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui.

New Zealand eased past West Indies recently, winning both Tests by an innings, but Southee believes that Pakistan will prove to be a tough challenge as compared to the Windies.

“I think the Pakistan side is a quality side,” Southee was quoted as saying by The New Zealand Herald. “They have an exciting bowling attack, they offer different challenges to what the West Indies did.”

“They're obviously missing a couple of experienced guys through thumb injuries in that first test, but I'm sure it presents an opportunity for another couple of guys to step up. It's a new challenge. The West Indies are gone and a new challenge awaits with the Pakistan side,” he added.

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New Zealand won the recently concluded T20I series against Pakistan, 2-1, and are favourites to bag the Test series as well.

New Zealand squad

Kane Williamson (captain), Tom Blundell, Trent Boult, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, BJ Watling (wicketkeeper), Will Young.

Pakistan squad

Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper/captain for first Test), Abid Ali, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Haris Sohail, Imran Butt, Mohammad Abbas, Naseem Shah, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper), Shaheen Afridi, Shan Masood, Sohail Khan, Yasir Shah and Zafar Gohar. (Babar Azam, Imamul Haq and Shadab Khan not available for the first Test).