New Zealand have been to Pakistan many times before but there is an element of the unknown in travelling there at this time of year.

Traditionally, tours have been in the late Northern Hemisphere summer, but this time around it is in late spring, early summer.

And while that might normally affect travellers, to cricketers it can mean a lot, especially in terms of pitch conditions.

According to the available information, the New Zealanders have been well served with their itinerary and conditions appear favourable.

They won't be without conditioning after nearly two weeks in Sharjah and then the one-day games preceding the two Test series.

However, it won't only be climatic heat the side faces, for it is clear from the Sharjah exercise that Pakistan is back to being a formidable unit with Shoaib Akhtar now back in harness with Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram also rounding out the fast bowling attack.

Saqlain Mushtaq continues to send down his wily spin and gives the side a formidable look.

Even without several members of the front-line attack, Chris Cairns, Shane Bond, Dion Nash, Shayne O'Connor and the just-retired Chris Drum, New Zealand has been able to assemble an attack aware of what is needed to take on Pakistan, albeit developed as a result of injury problems over the last two summers.

Daryl Tuffey capped his first two full years of international play with a six-wicket bag in the first innings of New Zealand's third Test victory over England earlier this month. Chris Martin, his partner in crime when New Zealand inflicted a record defeat, and achieved a record win for itself, over Pakistan in 2001 has come back into the side while two newcomers, fast bowler Ian Butler and all-rounder Andre Adams bring new skills to the side.

Butler is still raw but has shown a capacity to learn and Pakistan will provide him with a significant boost to his education.

Adams is the sort of cricketer who is capable of keeping the turnstiles, or whatever counting method they use nowadays, clicking with his latent ability to do the unexpected whether it be with bat or ball.

He is still fresh on the Test scene but that hasn't stopped him playing the game in the best way he knows, by all-out attack. Deceptively fast when bowling, he is a hard-hitting batsman who is also lethal in the field.

Once again, however, it is around the batsmen that New Zealand's hopes will rest. They have to score the runs to allow the side to compete against the best Pakistan will fire at them.

There were emerging signs, especially from Nathan Astle, Mark Richardson, Craig McMillan and Lou Vincent, this summer that consistency may be emerging in the batting and that will be welcomed. Captain Stephen Fleming had a lean series against England but batted well in Australia earlier in the summer and will be looking to get back into it against Pakistan.

Matt Horne will also be looking to regain his best touches after a poor return in the first two Tests against England. He was dropped for the first Test.

Chris Harris will be another interesting performer, especially if given a chance high in the middle-order, as was the case in New Zealand's win over England at Auckland. He played the key hand in the first innings and dug the side out of a disastrous position.

Interest on the wicket-keeping performance of Robbie Hart, who has taken the place of long-serving Adam Parore, will be unavoidable. He is the provincial captain of left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori and will be well versed in 'keeping to him. He is also a useful performer with the bat and will maintain the long batting order New Zealand has enjoyed in recent times.

Events last September in the United States, and subsequently in Afghanistan, may have precluded New Zealand from touring in October, but there has been a willingness for New Zealand to meet their obligations for the tour and the players have known about it for some time.

In an ironic way, it has ensured a continuity of match play through a part of the year when there is not normally a lot of cricket and in terms of the lead-up to the World Cup next year, and in the Test programme overall, it is well-placed to help in the overall development of New Zealand's players through what has been a difficult time.

The programme for the tour is:

ODIs: Sunday, April 21 v Pakistan (Karachi, day/night); Wednesday, April 24 v Pakistan (Rawalpindi, day/night); Saturday v Pakistan (Lahore, day/night).

Tests: May 1-5 v Pakistan (Lahore); May 8-12 v Pakistan (Karachi).

© CricInfo