The West Indies and Pakistan begin the 2nd Test this morning at 11.00 o’clock Eastern Caribbean Time with the West Indies leading 1-0 in the 2-match series.
The big question for both teams will be the composition of their final teams.
The fast bowling of the teams was the dominant factor in the 1st Test which the West Indies won by 1 wicket last Sunday. Each team played one specialist spinner, neither of whom had any impact on the match.
There is much speculation that the West Indies may go into the match with another fast bowler, in which case the likely choice would be Alzarri Joseph.
However, interestingly, last week, the West Indies fast bowlers, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, and Jason Holder, and medium pacer Kyle Mayers dismissed Pakistan for 217 and 203, which are really below par scores in a 5-day Test match. The West Indies in turn struggled to make 253 and 168-9.
Those scores suggest that both teams require much improved performances from their batsmen in the 2nd Test starting today. In the case of the West Indies, while fast bowler, Alzarri Joseph has shown that he is a capable lower-order batsman, it is especially from their middle order batting that the West Indies desperately need greater returns from their batsmen.
The probable final XI’s for today’s match are, the West Indies: 1. Kraigg Brathwaite (capt), 2. Kieron Powell/Shai Hope, 3. Nkrumah Bonner, 4. Jermaine Blackwood, 5. Roston Chase, 6. Kyle Mayers, 7. Jason Holder, 8. Joshua Da Silva (wk), 9. Alzarri Joseph/Chemar Holder, 10. Kemar Roach, and 11. Jayden Seales.
Pakistan: 1. Abid Ali, 2. Imran Butt, 3. Azhar Ali, 4. Babar Azam (capt), 5. Fawad Alam, 6. Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 7. Faheem Ashraf, 8. Hasan Ali, 9. Yasir Shah/Nauman Ali, 10. Mohammad Abbas, and 11. Shaheen Afridi.
Rain is forecast for part of the Test, but today’s first day is fine, and there should be enough good weather around not to seriously affect the match.
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