Pakistan vs West Indies – 1st One-Day International Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
When is Pakistan vs West Indies taking place? Wednesday, June 8th, 2022 – 12:00 (UK)
Where is Pakistan vs West Indies taking place? Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan
What is the expected weather for Pakistan vs West Indies? 35-48c, with bright sunshine before clear skies later and a gentle breeze throughout
What channel is Pakistan vs West Indies on? This match will be televised live on Sky Sports in the UK.
Where can I stream Pakistan vs West Indies? Sky Sports subscribers in the UK can stream this match live via Sky Go.
LAST MEETING
West Indies beat Pakistan by seven wickets
THE TEAM NEWS
PAKISTAN
- Pakistan’s most recent series in the 50 over format saw them defeat Australia 2-1 on home territory earlier in the year, underlining their quality as a limited overs side under the captaincy of Babar Azam.
- Opener Imam ul-Haq starred in that series with two centuries and a whopping 298 runs accrued across the two games, so it is no surprise that both he and Fakhar Zaman have been backed by their skipper to continue as the opening pairing despite the call-up of Abdullah Shafique.
- Both spin-bowling all-rounder Shadab Khan and fast bowler Haris Rauf have returned from a spell at Yorkshire Vikings playing in the T20 Blast, as has wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Rizwan at Sussex Sharks and although they have all been playing a different format, none of the three should have any issues making the seamless transition from 20 over to 50 over cricket.
WEST INDIES
- West Indies couldn’t have prepared better for this ODI series after sweeping Netherlands 0-3 away from home in the same format, a welcome result for captain Nicholas Pooran who had a number of key players unavailable.
- The Windies remain without all-rounders Jason Holder and Shimron Hetmyer as well as batter Evin Lewis, the latter for continuous fitness issues whilst the former two have been rested.
- Although both Rovman Powell and Romario Shepherd will be available for selection after missing the Netherlands series due to visa issues, the performances of the side in Amstelveen leaves the tourists with a welcome selection headache ahead of this match.
THE PREDICTION
One of the biggest challenges for the tourists in this match will be coping with the severe heat, with temperatures of up to 45c expected in Multan despite a local start time of 4pm. This could easily have a negative impact on the West Indian batters, bowlers and fielders, leading to potential game-changing mistakes. With the weather in mind, it would be no surprise if Pooran’s men do not show their best cricket immediately, which would obviously work in Pakistan’s favour, as their players should be more experienced at handling such conditions. The series against Australia showed the quality of Babar’s side with both bat and ball against extremely high-level opponents and they are definitely worth backing to take a series lead in this first ODI.
