Pakistan will face West Indies in the opening Test of the 2-match Test series and it will also be part of the WTC second cycle.
Match Timings: Aug 12, 8:30 PM IST
Team Preview
Pakistan and West Indies will begin their second WTC cycle with 2-match Test series. It will be a final international assignment for Windies this home summer. Pakistan recently played a rain-affected T20I series and won it 1-0.
West Indies and Pakistan both had poor performances in WTC 2019-21. They finished at the middle of the table. Pakistan has the best chance to crack WTC Final this time as they got some good opponents in away conditions. The top three sides England, Australia, and New Zealand will tour Pakistan so Pakistan can now make more points in the home series. It will be the away assignment for them and they would look to make a winning start. Pakistan beat South Africa in their last WTC series at home and they also beat Zimbabwe in Tests.
Pakistan suffered away-series defeats against Australia, England, and New Zealand in the first WTC cycle. Now, West Indies is their first opponent in away matches. Babar will have a big responsibility to deliver in Test. Babar’s numbers in Tests aren’t so convincing but Rizwan has been a standout performer. Pakistan would play with two spinners to make full use of the pitch. Yasir Shah is also back in the squad who played a major role when Pakistan last won a Test series in West Indies. Shahnawaz Dhani might get a chance in XI.
Meanwhile, West Indies made a big change this year when they replaced the captaincy with Brathwaite. Holder was leading the side and they had some positive points in England and in some home assignments. They won a historic series in Bangladesh with young players but also suffered a series loss against South Africa in June. Darren Bravo and Gabriel did not even find a place in the final squad. Shamarah Brooks and Chemar Holder earned the recall in the Test side.
West Indies will also look to make a positive start to the second cycle of WTC. It will be a tough assignment for them as Pakistan is slightly a better side on paper. Pakistan has won 20 Tests and West Indies have 17 wins in head-to-head matches. When they last met in 2017, Pakistan clinched the series 2-1 and it was also the final series for Misbah and Younis Khan. After four years, they will lock horns in Sabina Park.
Pitch Report
Sabina Park’s surface is slightly a slower surface but we might expect a good batting show on the first three days. Spinners might control the game on the final two days. Chasing would be a tricky call in the fourth innings.
Possible XI
West Indies
Kraigg Brathwaite (C), Jermaine Blackwood, Nkrumah Bonner/Shamarh Brooks, Roston Chase, Chemar Holder, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Kemar Roach, Warrican
Pakistan
Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Abdullah Shafique, Abid Ali, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Abbas, Nauman Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi
Key Players
West Indies
Jason Holder
Kraigg Brathwaite
Pakistan
Mohammad Rizwan
Babar Azam
