Windies must improve in all areas to level ODI series today

Jul 16, 2013 Sports

By Sean Devers
Despite West Indies being bowled out for their lowest total against Pakistan on Sunday in a crushing 120-run defeat, another full house is anticipated at Providence today when the West Indies face Pakistan in the second ODI of the five-match series.
West Indies must improve in all areas if they hope to level the series after suffering their heaviest defeat in an ODI at Providence on Sunday.
Apart from Shahid Afridi who clobbered 76 for just 35 balls, every batsman on both teams struggled on at track which made free scoring a tedious task.
Skipper Misbah ul-Haq clearly enjoys playing against the West Indies as he averages 79.33 against the Caribbean side in 11 ODIs, but as he admitted the track at Providence was one of the toughest pitches he has played on after his painstaking 170-ball 52 on Sunday.
Medium pacer Jason Holder used the conditions superbly but surprisingly, number one ranked ODI bowler off-spinner Sunil Narine bowled three overs for 32 runs on a pitch that Afridi captured a career best 7-12.
Although Afridi is unlikely to repeat his Sunday heroics, the West Indies batsmen could still be stifled by off-spinners Saeed Ajmal and Mohammed Hafeez while all three left-arm pacers bowled well on Sunday.
The top order of both teams were blown away early. Afridi, with level-headed support from ul-Haq, made the difference between the teams as the batting again let them down in bowler friendly conditions, but fans today should not be surprised if the hugely talented Afridi misfires today.
Openers Nasir Jamshed and Ahmed Shehzad will need to build to a solid foundation for the visitors who have not lost an ODI series in the West Indies since Viv Richards led the Regional side to a series win in 1988.
Hafeez will hope for better judgment after playing no shot to Holder and having his stumps disturbed in the first match. Asad Shafiq and Umar Akmal will also want improved showings today.
On paper, West Indies easily have the more batting fire power with Chris Gayle, Johnson Charles, Darren and Dwayne Bravo, Marlon Samuels, Kieron Pollard, Darren Sammy and Holder all capable of making runs at this level.
The problem with both teams is inconsistency and shot selection could play a key role in today’s result especially since the match will be played on the same pitch as Sunday.
West Indies are expected to field an unchanged side but this could be the moment of truth for the much hyped up power hitter Pollard. Another failure today for the powerful Pollard could see Guyanese Narsingh Deonarine being called up for the St Lucia leg of the competition.
In the absence of someone like Shivnarine Chanderpaul (who says he has not retired for ODI cricket) to provide the glue that hold the middle order together, Samuels could play that role today, while Sammy (in his 100th ODI), Roach and Dwayne Bravo needs to ‘up their game’ in their bowling on what should be another day with scattered thunderstorms.
West Indies squad: Dwayne Bravo (captain), Tino Best, Darren Bravo, Johnson Charles, Chris Gayle, Jason Holder, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Kemar Roach, Darren Sammy, Marlon Samuels, Lendl Simmons, Devon Smith
Pakistan squad: Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Nasir Jamshed, Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Asad Shafiq, Umar Akmal (wk), Shahid Afridi, Saeed Ajmal, Wahab Riaz, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Irfan, Asad Ali, Umar Amin, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Abdur Rehman, Haris Sohail

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