Written by: Waseem Abbas
Posted on: June 08, 2022 | 
| 中文
Babar Azam playing a shot against West Indies at a T20I game in Dec 2021
Pakistan cricket seems to be back on the right track after years of wilderness and isolation due to security reasons and Covid, as the West Indian Cricket team has reached Pakistan for a 3-match ODI series. Babar Azam-led Pakistan will face the West Indian side led by Nicholas Pooran. This is the first series to be played without any Covid-related restrictions on players, which is a big relief for the players as the stringent regulations were taking a toll on the mental health of the cricketers. The first game of the series is scheduled to be played on the 8th of June, the second on the 10th, and the last on the 12th of June, 2022 at the Multan Cricket Stadium.
Babar Azam and Muhammad Rizwan doing practice at Multan Cricket Stadium
This series was canceled mid-way last December due to Covid, and is part of the ICC ODI Championship (2021-23), a two-year cycle of ODI games to select the teams for the World Cup. They were initially planned to be played in Rawalpindi, but in case of any protest or political unrest in the Capital or Rawalpindi, the matches were shifted to Multan. The green shirts had a conditioning camp in Lahore, and played two scenario-based practice games to acclimatize to the intense heat of Multan, expected to be around 45-degrees Celsius. The series will not only be a challenge to the skills of the players, but also tests their capacity to cope with the extremely hot weather. All the matches are scheduled to be played in the evening, at 4 pm Pakistani standard Time (PST).
Pakistan cricket team
Pakistani skipper made his intentions clear that they are ready to beat the heat and the Caribbean team: "As a team, as a captain, you go into the series thinking about a clean sweep, whoever the opponent is. We went with the same thought against Australia, to play tough cricket and dominate." The West Indian Captain, Nicholas Pooran, on the other hand, has vowed to give a tough time to Pakistan.
Pakistan and West Indies have played 134 games, WI has won 71 (52.99%) while Pakistan has won 60 (44.78), while 3 games were tied. However, in recent years, Pakistan has an overwhelming record against the visiting side. Since 2002, Pakistan has won 26, losing only 12 out of a total of 39 matches. From 1996 to 2022, Pakistan has won 42 while the Caribbean side has won only 20 games, with Pakistan's win percentage of approximately 65%. Pakistan last lost an ODI series to WI in 1991, and has won 9 series on the trot since then. These stats reveal that the Caribbean side has weakened and has lost its ferocity of the 1970s and 80s. While Pakistan's recent performance has been good, it most recently defeated Australia in 2022 in the ODI series.
West Indies cricket team
If we look at the teams, Pakistan appears to be the obvious favorites. With a formidable top order and an exciting array of fast bowlers and experienced spinners, Pakistan will look to sweep the series and clinch crucial ODI Championship points. Pakistan's captain Babar Azam, who is the world's number one ranked batter in ODIs and T20Is, has a phenomenal record against the Caribbean side. In 7 ODI matches against WI, Babar has scored 536 runs with 4 centuries at an astonishing average of 89.33 and a reasonably good strike rate of 93.87. Shaheen Shah Afridi, who is in the top 10 ICC bowling rankings in all three formats of the game and is known for taking wickets with the new ball, is another player who can trouble the opponents. In the last 14 ODI games, the lanky young pacer has 32 wickets at a phenomenal average of 20.96 and a meager economy of 5.17. Among the Pakistani openers, Fakhar Zaman can demolish bowling attacks, while Imam ul Haq anchors the inning as he has the temperament to score big. Shadab Khan and Muhammad Nawaz are back in the team after missing the Australian series due to injuries. The experienced duo of spin bowling all-rounders strengthens Pakistan's batting while also adding experience to the bowling department. Babar has backed his superman wicketkeeper batter Muhammad Rizwan to come good in ODIs as well, who has failed so far to replicate his T20 and Test heroics in the One Day Internationals.
Shaheen Afridi and Jason Holder
The West Indian team is without their regular members like Kieron Pollard, Jason Holder and Shimron Hetmyer, and is depending on the inexperienced yet exciting newcomers. The West Indian team is led by Nichlos Pooran, who recently took the reins of captaincy from Kieron Pollard, whose form will be crucial for the visitors. Spin bowling all-rounder Akeal Hosein, who was Player of the Tournament against Scotland in the recently concluded series, will be vital for West Indies' chances in the series. Mister dependable of the West Indian team in the ODI format, Shai Hope, known for anchoring the innings, is another player whose wicket will be of immense importance for Pakistan. Brandon King, Rowman Powell, Shamarah Brooks and Hayden Walsh are the other players to watch out for the Caribbeans.
Akeal Hosein
With the T20 World Cup coming later this year, and the ODI World Cup the year after (2023), Pakistan will be looking to finalize its squads going ahead, especially in the middle and lower order batting positions. The series against WI might not be as difficult to win, but it will give clarity regarding our middle order as it has been the main worry in the last three to four years. Pakistan has given the middle-order slots to Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah and Muhammad Harris, and will be looking for them to deliver. This series is also important for World Championship points, as these points will be crucial for direct entry into the 2023 ODI World Cup. This series is also important for the residents of Multan, who will be witnessing international games in the city after a long hiatus of 14 years.
You may also like:
