Pakistan facing West Indies in tour’s first T20 encounter today

KARACHI: West Indies and Pakistan will square off in a four match series starting in Bridgetown today with a chance to move up to third position in the ICC T20 rankings.

But for that to happen, either of the two teams who will also be playing a three match ODI series next month in a bid to boost their direct qualification chances for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, will need to dominate in the T20I series.

ICC World Twenty20 champions, West Indies will move up from 116 points to 123 points if they win all the matches, while a 3-1 win will see them leapfrog third placed South Africa, who are on 117 points.

On the other hand, Pakistan could go up to 118 points and third position from their current sixth position with a 4-0 win, while a 3-1 result will lift them to fourth position and 116 points.

New Zealand currently lead the points table with 127 points while India are in second position with 124 points.

However, Pakistan always have an edge over the West Indies in T20 Internationals, winning five and losing only two out of seven matches played so far between the two countries. All three matches were held in the UAE and Pakistan made a clean sweep 3-0. The captain of was Safraz Ahmed who is again leading the side for the first time in the West Indies.

The match will start 09:30 (PST).