Overview

While Australia versus England and India versus Sri Lanka ODIs are dime a dozen these days, limited-overs novelty doesn't come much better than Pakistan versus New Zealand. Having faced each other in a mere six one-dayers since the turn of 2004, it's the Black Caps who go into Saturday's semi-final with almost an entirely different batting unit to the one that battled it out last time around in 2006.

A solid order that included Lou Vincent, Stephen Fleming, Nathan Astle and Peter Fulton now offers the inconsistency of Martin Guptill, Brendon McCullum, Neil Broom and Ross Taylor, while Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Shoaib Malik and Shahid Afridi are still the same stable outfit they were three years ago.

Thankfully, for the sake of competition, the game has progressed 1000-odd days down the line and innovations such as batting Powerplays, free-hits and the like have since evened the odds, perhaps even favouring the Kiwis' young crop.

Taylor and company's game has been nurtured in an environment that encourages the unorthodox and progressive Yousuf displays and arguable contentment with turning the singles across the middle overs and Afridi's one-dimensional bashing fails more than it succeeds.

Thank goodness for Kamran and Umar Akmal, then. The siblings, particularly the latter, are the perfect ying to the batting Powerplay's yang and will prove the difference against a lower-order that sport James Franklin and Kyle Mills as their belated-hitting hope.

The match will be played on a fast, seaming Wanderers track, which is a far cry from the low and slow-ish conditions experienced at Centurion. On a spinning front this plays right into New Zealand's hands, who possess the tall Daniel Vettori to bounce 'em through, even if he doesn't find too much turn. The diminutive Saeed Ajmal will be found wanting. He relies on variations that skid on and couldn't care much for additional bounce. Look forward to leg-spinner Afridi having more of a say with the ball than his team-mate.

Ultimately though, it's in the fast bowling department that the result will hinge. Mohammad Asif and Umar Gul against Shane Bond and Mills makes for delectable anticipation. Although Mills, Ian Butler and Mohammad Aamer's world status pales in comparison to their contemporaries, they'll surely play a due support role on a block that begs for the bulk of the overs to be bowled by the pace men.

Asked to comment on a match he may well have been playing in had India's Champs Trophy campaign gone slightly more according to plan, Indian captain Mahendra Dhoni stated "whoever plays the best cricket on the day will win" upon his tournament sign-off. Although his words seemed laughably 'goes without saying' then, given how evenly matched Pakistan and New Zealand are, the departing skipper now seems very much on the money.

Key Players

Pakistan: ODI Team of the Year representative Umar Gul will look to cap his ICC accolade with more success in Johannesburg. Late swing and a lethal yorker see him amongst the planet's best fast bowlers and with Asif back as his sparring partner, who knows what toe-cracking economy awaits the opposition...?

New Zealand: Opposite number Khan admitted it and time and time again it rings true. Daniel Vettori will be New Zealand's kingpin. Although the erstwhile one-man army has enjoyed good support with bat and ball this trip, he is still the fortress among a potentially brittle army. Cool, calm and collected, the Black Caps need his 'A' game more than ever if they hope to break their Champs Trophy semi-final hoodoo.

Likely Starting XIs

Pakistan: Younis Khan (captain), Imran Nazir, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Yousuf, Kamran Akmal, Umar Gul, Mohammad Aamer, Mohammad Asif, Saeed Ajmal.

New Zealand: Daniel Vettori (captain), Neil Broom, Grant Elliott/Scott Styris, Martin Guptill, Brendon McCullum, Kyle Mills, Ross Taylor, Shane Bond, Ian Butler, Aaron Redmond, James Franklin.

Last Five Head-To-Head ODI Results

October 2006: Champions Trophy clash: New Zealand won by 51 runs in Mohali
January 2004: Fifth ODI: New Zealand won by four runs in Wellington
January 2004: Fourth ODI: New Zealand won by eight wicket in Napier
January 2004: Third ODI: New Zealand won by seven wickets in Christchurch
January 2004: Second ODI: Pakistan won by six wickets in Queenstown

Squads

Pakistan: Younis Khan (captain), Imran Nazir, Misbah-ul-Haq, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi, Rana Naved, Fawad Alam, Mohammad Yousuf, Kamran Akmal, Umar Gul, Mohammad Aamer, Mohammad Asif, Rao Iftikhar, Saeed Ajmal.

New Zealand: Daniel Vettori (captain), Neil Broom, James Franklin, Brendon Diamanti, Grant Elliott, Martin Guptill, Gareth Hopkins, Brendon McCullum, Kyle Mills, Jeetan Patel, Ross Taylor, Shane Bond, Ian Butler, Scott Styris, Aaron Redmond, Iain O'Brien. .

Jonhenry Wilson in Johannesburg