31 May 2019 12:01 am
The West Indies and Pakistan can be indifferent or spectacular. But on their day, there is no doubt that they can challenge, and beat, the world’s top sides.
Pakistan haven’t had the most ideal preparation for the tournament. They lost to Afghanistan in their first warm-up game, and their second, against Bangladesh, was washed out without a ball bowled.
More worryingly, they have lost their last 10 completed ODIs.
Standing opposite them are the West Indies, who held the world’s number one ODI side to a stalemate at home earlier this year.
They have a batting line-up that is exploding with firepower. It gave them 421 runs in their last warm-up game, against New Zealand.
Shai Hope, who is in the form of his life, is perfectly capable of staying at the crease and building the innings.
The squads
Pakistan: Sarfaraz Ahmed (Captain), Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Hafeez, Shadab Khan, Shoaib Malik, Babar Azam, Haris Sohail, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hasnain, Shaheen Afridi and Wahab Riaz.
West Indies: Jason Holder (Captain), Fabian Allen, Darren Bravo, Shannon Gabriel, Shimron Hetmyer, Evin Lewis, Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Carlos Brathwaite, Sheldon Cottrell, Chris Gayle, Shai Hope, Ashley Nurse, Kemar Roach and Oshane Thomas.
(ICC)