West Indies vs Pakistan, 2nd T20I : Fantasy Preview

The first T20I of the four-match series between West Indies and Pakistan was washed out due to pertinent rain after Kieron Pollard dazzled the stage with a nine-ball 22. As both sides stride to the ground for the second T20I at the Providence Stadium, Guyana, they will be determined enough to take their best foot forward in their bid to prepare for the T20 World Cup later this year.

Head-to-Head

Total: 15 Matches | Pakistan: 11 Wins | West Indies: 3 Wins

Last five matches: Pakistan: 3 Wins | West Indies: 1 Win

Ground Details and Team Combination

In the 14 T20I matches at the venue, average first innings scores have been a paltry 141 while the number increased to 146 in the last three years. In the T20Is, the average runs in the powerplay are 38.6 but run-scoring is really good at the death as batters score at a run rate of 9.6. In the last three years, pacers have claimed 77.78% of wickets while spinners have accounted for the rest.

Suggested Team

While you could go for the above team, you also have the option of choosing your own team from Cricket.com’s Fantasy Research Centre. You can use this tool to build your team with the help of algorithms. Based on your preferences, the platform will guide you to create the ideal fantasy XI.

Suggested Captain

The way Kieron Pollard, in his T20 return, batted against Pakistan was otherworldly. Facing only nine balls in the nine-over innings, Pollard scored 22 including three gigantic sixes. The way he batted against South Africa and Australia gave the impression that he is in the zone. Even though it’s an aggressive pick, the fact that Pollard has the ability to boom at any point helps to have him as captain of the side.

Our Criclytics Player Projector predicts Pollard could score 15-23 runs in this match

X-FACTORS

Mohammed Rizwan’s last three T20 scores read 76*, 37, and 63* - all scores came in the England series. It might seem astonishing but the fact that Rizwan is averaging 101.80 in 14 matches in 2021 tells you everything you need to know about his impact. The long-standing dominance and his impeccable transformation as a batter happened just after the Covid, with Rizwan averaging 44 in T20Is last year.

Our Criclytics Player Projector predicts Rizwan could score 38-58 runs in this match

In the last four international fixtures of Pakistan, Hasan Ali has nine wickets to his name. After falling on the wayside, Ali has made a nice comeback in 2021, and Pakistan are poised to take the benefit of the same. On top of that, he is a handy performer with the bat as well, which means his X-factor can be utilized well.

Our Criclytics Player Projector predicts Ali to pick 0-1 wickets in this match

Here are the top-11 picks as per Criclytics projected points:

MATCH-UPS

Facing only two balls against Hasan Ali, Windies opener Lendl Simmons has been dismissed once and is yet to open his account. That might prompt Babar Azam to open the bowling with Ali instead of his trusted lieutenant Shaheen Shah Afridi. You can check out more in-depth projections and key match-ups for this match here.

PROBABLE XIs

West Indies – Kieron Pollard (captain), Evin Lewis, Lendl Simmons, Chris Gayle, Nicholas Pooran (wicketkeeper), Andre Russell, Jason Holder, Dwayne Bravo, Fabian Allen, Hayden Walsh, Fidel Edwards.

Pakistan - Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Sohaib Maqsood, Mohammad Hafeez, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Qadir, Mohammad Hasnain.