Pakistan aims to break West Indian voodoo as both teams line-up for first Test in Guyana
Pakistan and West Indies start their two-match Test series on Thursday, May 12 at the Providence in Guyana. The visitors would be aiming to bounce back after they let the last two One Day International (ODI) games slip from their
grasp and thus the chance of recording a series whitewash on the hosts.
Pakistan won the first three matches comfortably yet, as often is the case with the Men in Green, lethargy coupled with complacency proved to be their undoing in the last two matches at Barbados and Guyana.
In the longest format of the game, the Pakistanis are being led by middle order batsman Misbah Ul Haq; the right hander has been one of the most successful players in the Test match format for his team in recent months.
He hit a string of fifties in the two-match Test series against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 and New Zealand, the series against the Proteas was an honorable draw for the Pakistanis with both matches ending in a stalemate. Misbah then led the team
to a win in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754 with a resounding win in the second Test coming the tourists’ way.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 is yet to win a test series in the Caribbean, in 1988 and 2000 they came extremely close to winning yet were denied by poor umpiring and mis-fortune on both occasions, even the mighty West Indian teams of the 70’s and 80s
found Pakistan an extremely stubborn team to beat especially in the series where the Asians were led by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Imran-Khan-c64237.
The tourists possess a more balanced team than http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Younis-Khan-c98325 who flew home because of the death of his brother.
There are three youngsters with immense potential in the middle order; http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 at Lords last year.
Asad Shafiq has been one of the most consistent Pakistan players in both Test and ODI formats in the last six months, while the dashing http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Umar-Akmal-c94595 has another opportunity of securing a Test spot, after his tendency to self-destruct
forced him out of the Test team after the opening test against South Africa in Dubai last year.
On the other hand, the West Indians have recalled seasoned campaigner and their most prolific run getter in the current scene, Shivnarine Chanderpaul. The left-hander had a war of words with the cricket administrators in the country
yet it seems that the dust has been settled now.
"I have confidence in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shivnarine-Chanderpaul-c90073. He has been around cricket for a long time, he has been a professional, and I think he's gonna go back in there and he's going to play the game how he's supposed to play it." Stated Clyde Butts, chairman of the
West Indies selection panel, when asked about Chanderpaul form.
The wicket at Providence generally suits the batsmen, yet both teams have decent bowling attacks who would be aiming to make quick inroads especially if they bowl first.
Teams:
West Indies (probable): 1 Devon http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Carlton-Baugh-c49264 (wk), 7 Darren Sammy (capt), 8 Ravi Rampaul, 9 Fidel Edwards, 10 Kemar Roach, 11 Devendra
Bishoo.
Pakistan (probable): 1 http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Saeed-Ajmal-c87859.
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