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WI seek 1st T20 series win as they clash with Pakistan today at Providence
By Sean Devers
In the first ever T20l game between the two sides in Guyana, West Indies face off with Pakistan in the first of three games today from 11:00hrs.
The first match in a series reduced from five to four, ended in a no-result last Wednesday in Barbados after the hosts were restricted to 85-5 in their allotted nine overs but rain washed out the game.
Chris Gayle celebrates his fifty with Nicholas Pooran © AFP/Getty Images
Never in any of the four series between the two sides has West Indies emerged victorious.
The sides previously meet in 2011, 2013, 2017 & 2018 and their head-to-head record against Pakistan read; 15 matches, 3 wins, 11 losses and a No-result.
West Indies’ wins came in 2011 and 2013 but since then they have never beaten Pakistan in T20 cricket.
Since making their debut in this format in 2006 against New Zealand, the Caribbean unit has won the T20 World Cup twice (2012 & 2016) and are the defending Champions.
But on a track expected to favour spin and unpredictable weather conditions in the last few days the visitors could start as favourites.
However, if the big hitting West Indian line up build partnerships, rotate the strike and demonstrate better ‘shot-selection’ instead of trying to hit every ball for six, they should surpass the 166-6 in Dhaka in 2014 which is their highest total against Pakistan.
The home team’s confidence should be high after a 3-2 defeat against South Africa they rebounded to hammer Australia 4-1 in their last two series.
Pakistan, after winning the first match against England when a century stand between Skipper Babar Azam (85) and Mohammad Rizwan (63) led them to 232-6, before losing a competitive series 2-1.
Rizwan, who has 706 runs in his last 13 innings, needs 43 reach the most T20l runs in calendar year and along with Babar, the Pakistan batsman in all formats, will be the biggest threat for the West Indies on what should be a lush green outfield.
Mohammed Hafeez has played for the Guyana Amazon Warriors and is familiar with the conditions at Providence, while Fakhar Zaman, Sharjeel Khan, Shadab Khan, Harris Rauf and the burly Azam Khan, the son of former Pakistan keeper Moen Khan.
Hassan Ali needs another five wickets for 200 T20I wickets and will lead the bowling attack.
He should get pace support for the lively left-arm pacer Shaheen Afridi and rookie Mohammad Wasim jnr.
Shadab should lead the spin attack which includes Usman Qadir, the son of the great former Pakistan leg-spinner Abdul Qadir.
West Indies could open with the inform Evin Lewis.
Chris Gayle, who will be 42 by October’s T20 World Cup in the UAE, has 1,818 runs from 70 T20Is with two centuries and 14 fifties. Gayle, who has played eight times in this format, has a highest score of 93 and could be a psychological threat to the opposition.
He will want to prove to his distractions that he can still score consistent match winning knocks to show why he is the only player to score a Test triple century, an ODI double and a T20I hundred.
Dwayne Bravo could play the role of ‘stabaliser’ for young guns Shimron Hetymer and Nicholas Pooran to build on to set up an explosive finish from Pollard, Holder, Russell, Fabian Allen and DJ Bravo.
The bowling should include the genuinely quick Alazari Joseph and Obed McKoy, Bravo, Holder, Russell and Pollard.
Spinners Akeal Hosein, Fabian Allen and leg-spinner Hayden Walsh who could be the biggest challenge for Pakistan.
Tickets for today’s game cost $4000 and only 40 percent of Providence’s capacity of 15,000 will be allowed into the ground provided that they are fully vaccinated.
To gain entry to the venue, fans are required to provide their Tickets, a photo ID and their vaccination booklet.
This series, along with the outstanding performances in the CPL will be the last chance for West Indies played to stake a claim for the World Cup since the squad is expected to be selected two days after the CPL’s conclusion.
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