Match Betting Match being played in Abu Dhabi
Pakistan are 8/13 with 
Betfred and Boylesports
New Zealand are 11/8 with Ladbrokes, Totesport and William Hill
A Tied Match is
Despite momentum shifting over to New Zealand during their win in the second match of the series, Pakistan still maintain favouritism with the bookmakers and are as short as 8/15 with some firms to win todays decider against the Kiwi’s.
However anyone who watched the last game would be brave to be parting with any hard earned on a Pakistan victory, their batting wasn’t great, – with Younis Khan now coming under pressure with his performances of late – the fielding was awful and their main strength, their bowling couldn’t really get into the game such was the conditions and the onslaught from Brendon McCullum.
Anyone who has followed cricket over the past decade or so will be well aware that form isn’t a good guide on which to jude Pakistan when they are going into a big game or a deciding match of any sort, they are just as likely to turn up and look like world beaters as they are get bowled out for 120.
For all their dominance in the last match, New Zealand are another side who can flatter to deceive. Anyone who thinks Brendon McCullum has turned the corner with that innings should check his record and of the ten players to bat in the second game five didn’t make it into double figures, four of them top order batsmen, add that to the batting disaster in the first match and you could argue a few cracks have merely been painted over.
On a positive note for New Zealand they are well led with skipper Dan Vettori who sets a good example with both bat and ball, they have a well balanced attack with the pace of Shane Bond, Vettori’s spin and a capable group of seamers led by one day specialist Kyle Mills, also their fielding is excellent.
In conclusion you have Pakistans suspect temperament, their awful fielding and dodgy unpredictable batting along with a top class bowling unit, New Zealand are also suspect with the bat, are good in the field and also have a decent bowling unit.
Somehow weighing all this up the bookies make Pakistan the favourites. Personally it is too close to call and totally unpredictable, I wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole.
Possible Teams
Pakistan – Salman Butt, Khalid Latif, Younis Khan (C), Mohammad Yousuf, Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal (WK), Abdul Razzaq, Mohammad Aamer, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal.
New Zealand – Aaron Redmond, Brendon McCullum (WK), Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor, Scott Styris, Daniel Vettori (C), Neil Broom, Jacob Oram, Tim Southee, Kyle Mills, Shane Bond.
