West Indies Vs Pakistan, Match Preview
The first Test finished with an agonizing defeat for Pakistan as the West Indies walked away with a one-wicket win. It was a tight finish, with the game decided due to excellent margins. A couple of drop catches, and fielding lapses proved to be the difference in one of the closest Tests ever. The series has found some life in it with a close finish, and the second Test promises to be a big one. Both sides have their share of issues to sort out, but the West Indies will be the confident side coming into the Test.
Kemar Roach batted beautifully with the bat in the first Test, and his knock promises a lot for the future of West Indies Cricket. The win took them to second on the World Test Championship table, and another win can play a huge role in their prospects of finishing in a good position this time around.
While the West Indies won the Test, their performance was nowhere near perfect. The batting is still inconsistent, and individual performances still need to improve. The bowling was fine, with the pace battery doing a good job.
For Pakistan, the bowlers did a fair job. Hasan Ali looked good, while Mohammad Abbas and Yasir Shah showed glimpses of their best. The surface didn’t assist spin much, but Yasir Shah did a decent job holding one end up. The defeat, though, is likely to play on Pakistan’s mind. They made a few errors in the field, and the top-order hasn’t done enough, which will concern the Pakistan team.
West Indies Vs Pakistan, Team News
Kieran Powell’s failures in both innings could open up a spot for Shai Hope, a talented player himself. The West Indies may look at some changes in the bowling with some quality names on the sidelines. They have Chemar Holder and Alzarri Joseph as pace options, while Rahkeem Cornwall is a spin option.
While Yasir Shah did a decent job at moments in the first Test, Pakistan might still be questioning his place in the side. His bowling wasn’t very effective as the pitch didn’t help him, and Pakistan may be looking to replace him very soon.
West Indies Vs Pakistan, Predicted XIs
West Indies (probable): 1 Kraigg Brathwaite (capt), 2 Kieron Powell/Shai Hope, 3 Nkrumah Bonner, 4 Jermaine Blackwood, 5 Roston Chase, 6 Kyle Mayers, 7 Jason Holder, 8 Joshua Da Silva (wk), 9 Alzarri Joseph/Chemar Holder, 10 Kemar Roach, 11 Jayden Seales
Pakistan (probable): 1 Abid Ali, 2 Imran Butt, 3 Azhar Ali, 4 Babar Azam (capt), 5 Fawad Alam, 6 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 7 Faheem Ashraf, 8 Hasan Ali, 9 Yasir Shah/Nauman Ali, 10 Mohammad Abbas, 11 Shaheen Afridi
West Indies Vs Pakistan, Players to Watch out for
Hasan Ali
Hasan Ali was brilliant in the second innings of the first Test and will probably be the most affected by the one-wicket loss. He picked up three crucial wickets to keep Pakistan in the hunt, but he couldn’t close out the Test due to various reasons. With Ali starting a fightback and losing, he will be eager to make amends in the next Test.
Jermaine Blackwood
With a lot of attention on the likes of Kemar Roach and Kraig Brathwaite, Jermaine Blackwood’s role in the win seems to have gone off the radar. He came into bat early in both Tests on a rigid surface and faced a fair number of balls. His 55 in the second innings was a priceless knock that deserved more praise than it got. His role may have been overshadowed, but his presence is surely an important factor for the West Indies.
West Indies Vs Pakistan, Pitch, and Conditions
Rain is a part of the forecast for the Test as it was in the last, and both sides will hope the rain stays away again. The pitch looks dry but could offer a lot of bounce and spin as the Test goes on.
