Pak vs WI: Green shirts look to draw first blood in second T20

• Pakistan, West Indies will face each other in second T20 match today.
• Opening match of four-match series was washed out.
• Azam Khan has been ruled out from today's match due to injury.

Pakistan are facing the West Indies in the second T20 International of the four-match series at Providence today (July 31) after the first encounter was abandoned due to rain on Wednesday at Bridgetown.

Originally, Pakistan had to play a series of five T20 Internationals along with a two-Test series on the West Indies tour, but an entire T20I was cut after one of the non-playing staff in the West Indies set-up tested positive for coronavirus.

The first T20I was abandoned after steady rain delayed the start of play by almost three hours and reduced the match to nine overs per side. West Indies totalled 85 for five, batting first.

Also read: Pak vs WI: Kieron Pollard shines before West Indies and Pakistan T20 abandoned

Now both teams will play the remaining three matches in the shortest format of the game. All these matches are being played at Providence.

Today, Pakistan are playing their 175th T20I overall, the most by any country in the world whereas the hosts are playing their 142nd match in this format.

Both countries have so far played 15 T20 Internationals together and Pakistan are much ahead with eleven victories, whereas the West Indies have won only two - three matches were tied and one had no result.

Also read: Pak vs WI: After England defeat, what can Pakistan expect from West Indies series?

Pakistan and West Indies are on the final legs of their preparation for the T20 World Cup to be held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from October 17, this year. West Indies are the defending champions of the Cup.

Though the Pakistan side is looking very balanced with a galaxy of young allrounders, batsmen and bowlers with an excellent record against the hosts, they have recently lost a three-match T20I series 1-2 to England where no batsman except skipper Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan could perform well. Bowlers Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Hasnain played well but they could not get the series for Pakistan.

Also read: Pak vs WI: Sharjeel Khan likely to replace Sohaib Maqsood in first T20, say sources

West Indies, on the other hand, have just come from Australia with an impressive 4-1 T20I series victory. They are being led by hard-hitting Kieron Pollard, having services of experienced batsmen Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo and Jason Holder and good bowlers in Fidel Edward and Andre Russell.

Let's see how Pakistan tackle the highly motivated West Indies on their home pitch.

Teams for today’s match are to be selected from the following squads:

West Indies: Kieron Pollard (captain), Nicholas Pooran (wk), Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Andre Fletcher, Jason Holder, Andre Russell, Lendl Simmons, Fabian Allen, Sheldon Cottrel, Fidel Edwards, Shimron Hetmyer, Akeal Hosein, Evin Lewis, Obed McCoy, Oshane Thomas, Hayden Walsh Jr.

Pakistan: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Mohammad Hafeez, Fakhar Zaman, Sharjeel Khan, Haris Rauf, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Shaheen Shah Afridi, Azam Khan, Arshad Iqbal, Sohaib Maqsood, Usman Qadir, Haider Ali