SERIES PREVIEW
Follow UsIn December last season, when Pakistan cricket fans were cheering as international cricket returned to their land with the commencement of the T20I series, a plethora of positive cases rocked the Windies camp.
Even before the first ball was bowled, West Indies were crippled with players and support staff down with the virus, hampering their chances in the tournament.
Despite the stutter, the visiting side stepped onto the field with zeal in pursuit of putting up a spirited performance. However, with some of their key players missing in action, the Windies succumbed to a 3-0 series defeat.
Such was the apathy of the situation that West Indies, at one point after the T20I leg, did not have players to select for the 50-over format due to positive cases and injuries to a couple of players.
After much deliberation, the series was postponed to June, and after a six months hiatus, West Indies are back on Pakistan shores to complete the three-match ODI series starting on Wednesday, June 8, in Multan.
Focus on the sweltering weather conditions
While Rawalpindi was the first choice as the venue for these matches, the series was forced to shift to Multan due to political uncertainties, and since then, the conditions on offer and the concerns revolving around the extreme weather have been at the forefront.
The temperatures are expected to range between 42 to 47 degrees, making it extremely difficult for the players to cope with the heat and ensure they produce match-winning performances for their nations.
The Windies will have a slight advantage heading into this series after completing a clean-sweep against the Netherlands and will be riding high on confidence after the three matches.
On the other hand, Pakistan have not played competitive cricket since their home series against Australia in March and will be keen to start their home season fresh with renewed energies.
The return of Shadab Khan
And speaking on renewed energies, one player in the Pakistan outfit will be keen to showcase his skill on the home soil after missing out due to injury against the mighty Aussies.
After undergoing rigorous rehabilitation to recover from the injury, Shadab Khan has regained full fitness and is drafted straight back into the side. The vice-captain of the side will shoulder the bulk of the responsibility in the bowling department along with Shaheen Afridi.
With the heat factor set to play a significant role, the wickets are expected to be dry and offer some assistance to the spinners, making him one of the players to watch out for.
The home team will also be bolstered by his ability to steady the innings with the bat or smash his lusty blows in the back end of the innings.
Nicholas Pooran's introduction to captaincy
While things look settled for Pakistan as far as their combinations are concerned, the new full-time captain of West Indies, Nicholas Pooran, will have his task cut out in the three games.
The southpaw has led the team in the 50-over format for a couple of games against India as a stand-in skipper and now against the Netherlands last week. However, the upcoming series will test his captaincy skills to the hilt against quality opposition in conditions suitable to their style of play.
There ain't any doubt that West Indies are in a rebuilding phase after most of their experienced players have bid adieu to the sport in the last couple of seasons.
With the ODI World Cup slated to commence next year in the winter, Windies ought to make use of these matches to unearth some new talent and finalise their combinations in the 50-over format ahead of the mega event.
The team has plenty of young players in the side and will look to Shai Hope and their captain to guide them through the nuances of playing on sub-continent pitches and help them get over the line against a solid Pakistan outfit.
Squad:
Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Shadab Khan (vc), Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Junior, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani and Zahid Mahmood
West Indies: Nicholas Pooran (c), Shai Hope (vc), Nkrumah Bonner, Shamarh Brooks, Keacy Carty, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Shermon Lewis, Kyle Mayers, Anderson Phillip, Rovman Powell, Jayden Seales, Romario Shepherd, Hayden Walsh Jr
