Pakistan’s One-day International (ODI) team is in the regrouping process and trying to take back its lost pride
Pakistan’s One-day International (ODI) team is in the regrouping process and trying to take back its lost pride. It is facing a recharged West Indies who unpredictably won the World T20 in India earlier this year.
Sarfraz Ahmed was expected to replace Azhar Ali as one-day skipper, but Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) surprisingly retained Azhar despite heavy criticism after the series loss (1-4) in England.
Azhar has been widely criticised for his defensive strategy since taking over from Misbah-ul-Haq last year. Before taking charge of the ODI team Azhar had played only 14 ODIs and he had not been in the ODI team since 2013.
But suddenly a player who was not even part of the ODI format was given the charge.
Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Lahore Qalanders also replaced Azhar Ali with former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum to lead Qalanders in PSL’s second edition next year after disappointing performance of franchise in the first edition of the league early this year.
Azhar has led Pakistan in 25 ODIs so far, won only nine and lost 16 due to which the national team has dropped to the ninth place in one-day rankings.
The team has 14 ODIs to play till September 30, 2017, the cut-off date for qualifying directly for the 2019 World Cup in England.
It’s really embarrassing for Pakistani fans that the national side is just one place above Afghanistan and it looks like for the first time in our history we will have to play the qualifiers for the World Cup.
Test skipper Misbah has stated the Pakistan Cricket Board is responsible for this debacle as it is not giving enough importance on the 50-overs format in domestic cricket.
According to him, domestic circuit has just one fifty-over tournament and the format is not played at the club level any more. Most of the cricket at the grassroots level has been reduced to 20 to 25 overs matches. The players don’t have the experience and patience to stay at the crease for 30 to 40 overs.
Against a mediocre West Indies side on home-like conditions in the UAE, Azhar has a good chance to show his leadership qualities. The Caribbean team is not as strong as it was in 70s and 80s.
Pakistan and West Indies have played 127 ODIs. West Indies won 69 of these matches and Pakistan 55.
The last ODI between the two teams was played at Hagley Oval during the World Cup last year. It was won by West Indies by 150 runs.
West Indian leg-spinner Samuel Badree has stated that Pakistan team is dangerous which can demolish any opposition on its day.
West Indies’ 339-4 at Adelaide in 2005 is the highest innings total between the two teams. In the same series Pakistan also scored their highest innings total of 307-8. Pakistan were bowled out for just 43 in 1993 at Cape Town. It has been the lowest innings total. West Indies’ 98 at Providence in 2013 has been their lowest total against the Green-shirts.
The 150-run victory in Christchurch in 2015 is the biggest victory for West Indies. Pakistan’s biggest triumph came in Sharjah in 1999 when they won by 138 runs.
West Indies’ former opener Desmond Haynes is their highest scorer against Pakistan with 2,390 runs in 65 matches. He hit four centuries and 18 fifties, averaging 41.92. For Pakistan former captain Javed Miandad has been the leading scorer with 1,930 runs in 64 appearances. He hit one hundred and 12 half-centuries.
Brian Lara’s 156 in 2005 at Adelaide is the highest individual score from both sides. Saeed Anwar’s 131 at Sharjah in 1993 has been the highest individual score from Pakistan against West Indies.
Wasim Akram is the most successful bowler against West Indies with 89 wickets in 64 ODIs at an average of 25.57. Curtly Ambrose’s 69 wickets in 44 matches are the highest from West Indies against Pakistan. Shahid Afridi’s 7-12 at Providence in 2013 is the best-ever bowling performance.