Rizwan Aims for Strong Series Start Against West Indies

TRINIDAD: Ahead of the three-match One-Day International (ODI) series against the West Indies, Pakistan’s ODI captain, Mohammad Rizwan, has voiced his assurance. The series is scheduled to commence this Friday at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba.

In a statement distributed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Rizwan conveyed his confidence in the team’s training and preparedness for the upcoming matches.

Rizwan, a right-handed batter, stressed the significance of beginning the series with strength and highlighted the team’s combination of new and seasoned players.

“We’re focused on performing well in the ODI format. This away series, with its difficult conditions, is a great test for our young team,” Rizwan commented.

He further mentioned, “We have promising players like Sufyan Moqim and Hassan Nawaz, who are eager to demonstrate their abilities in 50-over cricket.”

The wicketkeeper-batter recognized the difficulty of competing against the West Indies on their home ground.

“Playing against the West Indies in their home conditions is always a challenge. We will strive to perform our best with both batting and bowling to win the series, with the Almighty’s help. They also have talented players, which will increase the competitiveness of the matches,” he added.

The Brian Lara Cricket Academy is set to host its second men’s ODI; the first was in 2023, when West Indies played against India.

The first match is scheduled as a day-night game, beginning at 2:00 pm local time (11:00 pm Pakistan time). The following two matches will be day games, starting at 9:30 am local time (6:30 pm Pakistan time).

Historically, Pakistan and the West Indies have played 137 ODIs. Pakistan has won 63 matches, while the West Indies have won 71. Three matches concluded in a tie, occurring in 1991, 1993, and 2013.

The first encounter between the two teams was during the 1975 Cricket World Cup. In bilateral series, Pakistan has been victorious 11 times, while the West Indies have won six. The five-match series in 1993 concluded with a 2-2 result. The last ODI series win for the West Indies against Pakistan was in November 1991.

Pakistan arrived in Trinidad on August 5, following a 2-1 T20I series victory in Lauderhill, Florida. Since then, the team has completed two practice sessions.

The 15-man squad includes uncapped batter Hassan Nawaz. Opener Fakhar Zaman was ruled out of the ODI series due to a left hamstring injury sustained during the second T20I.

Rizwan, who has been the captain for Pakistan in 17 ODIs, joined the squad in Florida along with Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, and Naseem Shah before the team flew to Trinidad.

Currently, Pakistan holds the fourth position in the ICC Men’s ODI Team Rankings, while the West Indies are in 10th place.

Pakistan Squad:

Mohammad Rizwan (captain & wicket-keeper), Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Sufyan Moqim