West Indies and Pakistan were originally scheduled to play five T20Is. A Covid-19 case in West Indies camp during their recently concluded ODI series against Australia then forced that to a four-match assignment. The opening match got washed out after the first innings, reducing the series to a best-of-three affair. The next match will be played on 31 July, at the Providence Stadium, Guyana.
Three days ago, the contest was reduced to nine overs a side. Batting first, West Indies reached 85/5, courtesy Kieron Pollard’s 9-ball 22 not out. For Pakistan, Hasan Ali was at his best in that encounter. He took two key wickets of Evin Lewis and Shimron Hetmyer, and conceded just 11 in two overs. But persistent rain did not allow playing further.
All remaining three games will take place in Guyana, which has never been a high-scoring ground in T20Is. The average first innings total here is 139, from seven matches. The weather forecast is not really great yet again: heavy showers are predicted throughout the week. However, we may see the match getting underway in the scheduled time.
Barring Pollard, the West Indian power-hitters – Evin Lewis, Chris Gayle, Andre Russell, Nicholas Pooran – all failed to show their range in the first match. They are not going to miss a second time. All of them were in form in the last two T20I assignments, against South Africa and Australia.
Pakistan will miss the services of Azam Khan for the rest of the series. Having sustained a head injury during a training session on 30 July, he is currently under observation of a neurosurgeon. Sohaib Maqsood is expected to replace him.
Mohammad Wasim Jr made his mark on his debut. He is likely to remain in the Pakistani seam attack, alongside Shaheen Shah Afridi and Hasan Ali. Usman Qadir will continue to play as support for Shadab Khan, which means Imad Wasim has to sit out on the bench once again.
Betway Fantasy Tips
– Bet on West Indies. They will be hungry to take the lead, especially after a disappointing ODI series against Australia.
– Make the in-form Lewis the captain of your fantasy XI. He fell for 6 last time, and is not likely to fail twice in a row.
– Alternately, pick Russell as captain if you want to play safe. He has been in the six-hitting zone, and can also bowl at the late end.
– Pakistan struggled against leg-spin on their last tour, against England. Hayden Walsh Jr has been in the form of his life, and you know what you need to do now.
Head to Head
Pakistan have played West Indies 15 times in T20Is. They have won 11, and lost three.
Probable XIs
West Indies: Kieron Pollard (c), Nicholas Pooran (wk), Lendl Simmons, Evin Lewis, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Andre Russell, Dwayne Bravo, Hayden Walsh Jr, Fidel Edwards, Akeal Hosein.
Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Sharjeel Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Sohaib Maqsood, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Usman Qadir.
Prediction
If rain does not play spoilsport, West Indies should win this contest.