West Indies set for Pakistan ODI challenge amid squad updates

LAHORE: Cricket West Indies (CWI) named a 15-man squad for the upcoming one-day international (ODI) series against Pakistan.

The ODI series is scheduled to be held at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad from August 8 till August 12.

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The squad primarily consists of players who contrived to recent home victories over England and Bangladesh. It also includes the successful tour of England earlier this year.

The CWI management opted to rest fast bowler Alzarri Joseph as part of the ongoing workload regulation. Romario Shepherd will return to the lineup after missing matches earlier in the season.

The team will be led by Shai Hope, who will captain a group that includes promising talents: Jewel Andrew, Jyd Goolie and Jayden Seales.

Established players includes Roston Chase, and Sherfane Rutherford.

West Indies Coach Daren Sammy explained his selection choice of including a slew of young talent in the lineup. He cited preparation for the upcoming 2027 ODI World Cup as the reason.

Sammy also hopes that West Indies will be able to increase their ranking in men’s ODI, with The Windies currently placed tenth. Only the top eight teams in the rankings automatically qualify for the World Cup. Failing to secure at least the eighth seed would force them into a qualifying tournament.

Pakistan squad

From Pakistan, the squad includes a blend of senior experience and young talent. Mohammad Rizwan will captain the visitors, along with former captain Babar Azam and paceman Naseem Shah.

The team suffered a setback with the absence of batting mainstay Fakhar Zaman due to injury, paving the way for Abdullah Shafique and Saim Ayub to open the innings.

The Pakistan Playing XI for the opener is expected to feature Shafique and Ayub at the top, supported by middle-order batters including Babar Azam, Rizwaz (also wicketkeeper), Salman Ali Agha and Hasan Nawaz.

The bowling attack will revolve around seasoned fast bowlers, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah; complemented by all-rounder Faheem Ashraf and spinners Abrar Ahmed and Mohammad Nawaz.

Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram publicly supported Babar Azamm’s inclusion in the national T20 sqaud ahead of the Asia Cup.

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The former legendry bowler pointed out Babar Azam’s adaptability and experience as his strong points. He stated that number three was a suitable batting position for the batter, though flexible positioning may be employed depending on match situations

Akram noted concerns over Babar Azam’s recent T20 form but maintained a positive tone, justifying the batter’s qualities and ability to anchor innings as valuable for Pakistan’s prospects.