Pak vs WI: Men in Green to start as firm favourites against COVID-hit West Indies today

• West Indies, who are already missing several top players, faced an additional blow when multiple others tested positive for COVID-19 Saturday.
• Visitors to find replacements from large touring squad against an in-form Pakistan.
• Pakistan captain says team wants "to carry momentum and confidence that we have gained during World Cup and Bangladesh tour".

KARACHI: High-flying Pakistan look forward to draw the first blood in the first of three T20 Internationals against a COVID-hit West Indies team at at the National Stadium in Karachi today (Monday).

Today’s fixture starts at 6pm.

West Indies, who are already missing several top players, including skipper Kieron Pollard, faced an additional blow when left-arm pacer Sheldon Cottrell, and all-rounders Roston Chase and Kyle Mayers, tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday.

The visitors will now have to find replacements from their large touring squad against an in-form Pakistan playing in familiar conditions.

Firm favourites Pakistan presented a T20 World Cup semi-final-like show with a 3-0 rout of Bangladesh in their home grounds last month.

“We want to carry the momentum and the confidence that we have gained during the World Cup and the tour of Bangladesh,” Pakistan captain Babar Azam said in a pre-match media talk on Sunday.

“There has always been talk that they are missing some key players but all those who are here are of international standard so we will not take them easy.”

Pakistan have beaten the West Indies in 12 of their 18 T20I clashes, suffering three losses.

Babar has formed an unbreakable opening partnership with Mohammad Rizwan and a solid batting line-up alongside a bowling attack led by the pace of Shaheen Shah Afridi has seen the team win eight of their last nine T20Is.

Rizwan is the first batsmen ever to score 1,000 T20I runs in a calendar year, amassing 1,123 in 26 matches, while Babar has scored 853 in the same number of games.

The West Indies have had contrasting fortunes, failing to qualify for the World Cup semi-final after winning the competition in 2012 and 2016.

Squads

Pakistan: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan, Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani, Usman Qadir

West Indies: Nicholas Pooran (captain), Shai Hope (vice-captain), Darren Bravo, Dominic Drakes, Akeal Hosein, Brandon King, Gudakesh Motie, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, Oshane Thomas, Hayden Walsh Jr, Rovman Powell.