High-flying Pakistan aim to boost chances of qualifying for next year World Cup with a clean sweep against an inexperienced West Indies team when the three-match One Day International series begins in Multan on Wednesday. A 3-0 win will see the Babar Azam-led side move up from their current 10th place to third in the 13-team World Cup Super League, the qualification process for the 2023 World Cup.
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West Indies, led by wicketkeeper-batsman Nicholas Pooran, are fourth after a 3-0 win over the Netherlands, but have just six of their 24 qualifying ODIs.
Multan’s scorching heat loss will put West Indies in danger of needing to play in the qualifying round, while Pakistan have nine straight ODI passes to secure after the series.
host India And the top seven teams will qualify automatically, while the remaining five will have to fight for the last two berths later this year.
Pakistan’s confidence is high after a 2-1 home series win over Australia two months ago and skipper Azam is hoping for a similar performance from his side.
“As a team, as a captain, you go into the series thinking about the clean sweep, no matter what the opponent is,” Azam said.
“The intent is the same, but it’s not like we’re underestimating the West Indies.”
Pakistan have won their last nine ODI series against West Indies with their last defeat in 1991.
West Indies do not have key players who are being rested, Shimron Hetmyer who is on paternity leave and Evin Lewis who was dropped after not reaching the required fitness level, while former captain Kieron Pollard Retired in April.
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In the Netherlands series, Shai Hope, Kyle Meyers and Shamar Brooks scored centuries while left-arm spinner Akil Hossen took eight wickets.
The series, initially scheduled for December 2021, was postponed due to a Covid-19 outbreak in the West Indies camp and has since been moved from Rawalpindi to Multan due to political uncertainty in Islamabad.
Azam admitted that battling the scorching heat of Multan where temperatures could touch 45 Celsius (113 Fahrenheit) would be a challenge, though matches would start later in the afternoon to counter the scorching sun.
This series will also be the first without a bio-secure bubble after Pakistan has taken it all out. coronavirus restrictions in March after a sharp drop in infections.
The other two matches will also be held in Multan on June 10 and 12.
Pakistan (from): Babar Azam (Captain), Shadab Khan, Abdullah Shafiq, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jr. , Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani, Zahid Mahmood
West Indies (Captain): Nicholas Pooran (C), Shai Hope, Nkrumah Bonner, Shamrah Brooks, Keesey Carty, Akeel Hossein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Shermon Lewis, Kyle Meyers, Anderson Phillip, Rovman Powell, Jaden Seals, Romario Shepherd, Hayden Walsh Jr.
Umpires: Aleem Dar (Pakistan) and Ahsan Raza (Pakistan)
TV umpire: Rashid Riaz (Pakistan)
Match referee: Mohammad Javed (Pakistan)
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