Pakistan vs West Indies - The likely XIs
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The Test series between Pakistan and West Indies will be a final dedication for two of Pakistan’s greatest servants Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan.
Younis is on the verge of becoming the first Pakistan batsman to reach 10,000 runs (Just 23 runs off) while Misbah on the other hand will look to end his career on a high by winning this series comprehensively and getting his 5k runs after two poor series against Australia and New Zealand.
West Indies won the last test these 2 teams faced which was last year in Sharjah in November.
West Indies have included Hetmyer and Singh after their performances against Pakistan in the warm up match.
Let us now take a look at the likely XIs both times might play in the first Test at Sabina Park Jamaica
Ahmed Shehzad and Shan Masood are the two obvious choices for the opening slot, but Azhar Ali, with an average of close to 69, Should open the innings with either Shan or Shehzad.
In the warm up match Shezhad was the only batsman to score a fifty from pakistans point of view, while Shan fell short of scoring big and was dismissed on 14 by Reifer.
Masood has just hit one fifty since that match-winning innings of 125 against Sri Lanka at Pallekele in July 2015.
At No. 3, Pakistan have Babar Azam, who has played a couple of promising innings in his short Test career, but has not scored anything substantial. Having dominated West Indies in the limited-overs by scoring 4 centuries in 6 ODI matches, Babar
might carry his confidence into the longer format as well.
West Indies too on the other hand have a few players to pick to open the innings.Kraigg Brathwaite is surely the first choice opener. But there will also be a blind choice between
Kieran Powell and Kyle Hope. Powell scored a fifty in the warm-up match and with an experience of 21 Tests under his belt, he is most likely to open with Brathwaite.
West Indies selectors made a big call when they axed Darren Bravo and Marlon Samuels from the squad. But that will pave way for Shimron Heymyer in the XI. He scored a 97 and a quick-fire 22 in the warm up matches before he was undone by Yasir Shah on both occasions. He will be an excellent candidate for the No. 3 position.
Pakistan have a formidable and a dependable middle-order, which comprises of heavyweights such as Misbah and Younis, followed by solid batsmen like Asad Shafiq and Sarfraz Ahmed. If the top-order fails, the middle-order is more than capable of resurrecting the innings.
West Indies have a relatively weak middle-order compared to Pakistan, but never the less they are not short of talent.
In the absence of Marlon Samuels and Bravo, Blackwood will be entrusted to bat at No. 4, followed by Vishaul Singh, who like Hetmyer, will make his Test debut. Vishaul scored a whopping 135 in the warm-up match and deserves his place in the line-up. Blackwood has shown his potential in the past, but has failed to score big runs for the West Indies.
All-rounder Roston Chase has had a promising beginning to his Test career. His batting coupled with his controlled off-spinners will surely come in handy. It was at Sabina Park when Chase scored 137 and took a five-for.
He will be playing at the same venue and would surely love to repeat his performances.
Shane Dowrich will be entrusted to keep wickets today, while West Indies have Kyle Hope as a reserve wicketkeeper. The West Indies selectors took a big gamble deciding to pick Dowrich in place of the experienced Denesh Ramdin for the India tour. He has improved with each passing innings as a wicketkeeper and as a batsman when required.
Mohammad Amir and Yasir Shah are the only two certain candidates to play With Hasan Ali doubtful due to an injury, it could be Wahab Riaz sharing the new ball with Amir.
Pakistan will then have to take a call whether they want to play two spinners and two pace bowlers or three pacers and one spinner. If they go in with three fast bowlers, we might see the fast bowler Mohammad Abbas making his Test debut. If Pakistan go in with two sinners, Mohammad Asghar, who was the back-up for Yasir Shah for the Australia tour might make his debut. For West Indies, it will be Shannon Gabriel and Alzarri Joseph leading the bowling attack with skipper Jason Holder coming as first change. Devendra Bishoo has been in excellent form in the longest format and he will be West Indies’ frontline spin option along with all-rounder Chase.
West Indies likely XI: Jason Holder (c), Kraigg Brathwaite, Kieran Powell, Shane Dowrich (wk), Jermaine Blackwood, Roston Chase, Devendra Bishoo, Shimron Hetmyer, Shannon Gabriel, Vishaul Singh, Alzarri Joseph
Pakistan likely XI: Misbah-ul-Haq (c), Ahmed Shehzad, Azhar Ali, Babar Azam, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Yasir Shah, Mohammad Asghar/Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Aamer, Hasan/Wahab
Younis is on the verge of becoming the first Pakistan batsman to reach 10,000 runs (Just 23 runs off) while Misbah on the other hand will look to end his career on a high by winning this series comprehensively and getting his 5k runs after two poor series against Australia and New Zealand.
West Indies won the last test these 2 teams faced which was last year in Sharjah in November.
West Indies have included Hetmyer and Singh after their performances against Pakistan in the warm up match.
Let us now take a look at the likely XIs both times might play in the first Test at Sabina Park Jamaica
Ahmed Shehzad and Shan Masood are the two obvious choices for the opening slot, but Azhar Ali, with an average of close to 69, Should open the innings with either Shan or Shehzad.
In the warm up match Shezhad was the only batsman to score a fifty from pakistans point of view, while Shan fell short of scoring big and was dismissed on 14 by Reifer.
Masood has just hit one fifty since that match-winning innings of 125 against Sri Lanka at Pallekele in July 2015.
At No. 3, Pakistan have Babar Azam, who has played a couple of promising innings in his short Test career, but has not scored anything substantial. Having dominated West Indies in the limited-overs by scoring 4 centuries in 6 ODI matches, Babar
might carry his confidence into the longer format as well.
West Indies too on the other hand have a few players to pick to open the innings.Kraigg Brathwaite is surely the first choice opener. But there will also be a blind choice between
Kieran Powell and Kyle Hope. Powell scored a fifty in the warm-up match and with an experience of 21 Tests under his belt, he is most likely to open with Brathwaite.
West Indies selectors made a big call when they axed Darren Bravo and Marlon Samuels from the squad. But that will pave way for Shimron Heymyer in the XI. He scored a 97 and a quick-fire 22 in the warm up matches before he was undone by Yasir Shah on both occasions. He will be an excellent candidate for the No. 3 position.
Pakistan have a formidable and a dependable middle-order, which comprises of heavyweights such as Misbah and Younis, followed by solid batsmen like Asad Shafiq and Sarfraz Ahmed. If the top-order fails, the middle-order is more than capable of resurrecting the innings.
West Indies have a relatively weak middle-order compared to Pakistan, but never the less they are not short of talent.
In the absence of Marlon Samuels and Bravo, Blackwood will be entrusted to bat at No. 4, followed by Vishaul Singh, who like Hetmyer, will make his Test debut. Vishaul scored a whopping 135 in the warm-up match and deserves his place in the line-up. Blackwood has shown his potential in the past, but has failed to score big runs for the West Indies.
All-rounder Roston Chase has had a promising beginning to his Test career. His batting coupled with his controlled off-spinners will surely come in handy. It was at Sabina Park when Chase scored 137 and took a five-for.
He will be playing at the same venue and would surely love to repeat his performances.
Shane Dowrich will be entrusted to keep wickets today, while West Indies have Kyle Hope as a reserve wicketkeeper. The West Indies selectors took a big gamble deciding to pick Dowrich in place of the experienced Denesh Ramdin for the India tour. He has improved with each passing innings as a wicketkeeper and as a batsman when required.
Mohammad Amir and Yasir Shah are the only two certain candidates to play With Hasan Ali doubtful due to an injury, it could be Wahab Riaz sharing the new ball with Amir.
Pakistan will then have to take a call whether they want to play two spinners and two pace bowlers or three pacers and one spinner. If they go in with three fast bowlers, we might see the fast bowler Mohammad Abbas making his Test debut. If Pakistan go in with two sinners, Mohammad Asghar, who was the back-up for Yasir Shah for the Australia tour might make his debut. For West Indies, it will be Shannon Gabriel and Alzarri Joseph leading the bowling attack with skipper Jason Holder coming as first change. Devendra Bishoo has been in excellent form in the longest format and he will be West Indies’ frontline spin option along with all-rounder Chase.
West Indies likely XI: Jason Holder (c), Kraigg Brathwaite, Kieran Powell, Shane Dowrich (wk), Jermaine Blackwood, Roston Chase, Devendra Bishoo, Shimron Hetmyer, Shannon Gabriel, Vishaul Singh, Alzarri Joseph
Pakistan likely XI: Misbah-ul-Haq (c), Ahmed Shehzad, Azhar Ali, Babar Azam, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Yasir Shah, Mohammad Asghar/Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Aamer, Hasan/Wahab
georgetaq › Nice !
