Fit-again New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson returned to action after missing the last one-day international in Dubai on Sunday with a groin injury.
New Zealand handed a Test debut to 30-year-old left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel, leaving out paceman Tim Southee.
Pakistan's opener Imam-ul-Haq returned to the side after missing the second Test against Australia in Abu Dhabi with a finger injury.
Seventh-ranked Pakistan will bank on their knowledge of United Arab Emirates (UAE) when they take on fourth-ranked New Zealand. They will be favourites going into the encounter with most of the players in excellent form.
The green shirts will be looking at spinner Yasir Shah and medium pacer Mohammad Abbas to tame the New Zealand side. Fast-rising Abbas took 17 wickets in a two-match Test series, including a ten-wicket haul at the same venue as Pakistan beat Australia 1-0 last month.
Abbas, who made his debut last year, has 59 wickets from his first 10 Tests and will be backed by the spin duo of Yasir and Bilal Asif.
Yasir has been a match winner on the neutral venues of UAE taking 15 wickets in the 1-1 series draw against New Zealand in 2014.
However, Pakistan have not beaten New Zealand in a Test series since 2011, and skipper Sarfraz Ahmed is not taking them lightly.
Pakistan crushed New Zealand 3-0 in T20s while their one-day series was shared 1-1 after the third match ended in a no result due to rain in Dubai.
The second Test is in Dubai (November 24-28) and the third, again in Abu Dhabi (December 3-7).
Playing XI
Pakistan: Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Hafeez, Azhar Ali, Haris Sohail, Babar Azam, Asad Shafiq, Sarfraz Ahmed (captain and wicketkeeper), Hasan Ali, Bilal Asif, Mohammad Abbas, Yasir Shah
New Zealand: Jeet Raval, Tom Latham, Kane Williamson (captain), Ross Taylor, BJ Watling (wicketkeeper), Henry Nicholls, Colin de Grandhomme, Neil Wagner, Ajaz Patel, Trent Boult, Ish Sodhi
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