West Indies host Pakistan in the second of the four-match T20I series at the Queen's Park Oval in Port of Spain on Thursday.
The defending World Twenty20 champions were completely outplayed in the first T20I on Sunday in Barbados as Pakistan took the early lead in the series with a six-wicket win. Wrist-spinner Shadab Khan, who impressed in the recently-concluded Pakistan Super League, shone on his international debut by coming up one of the most economical T20I spells, in which he also took three wickets, to skittle Carlos Brathwaite's men, who were sent into bat.
Pakistan's skipper Sarfraz Ahmed made sure West Indies did not score much inside the powerplay by giving the new ball to the spinners. The hosts succumbed to pressure once the fielding restrictions were lifted, with wickets falling regularly as Carlos Brathwaite's men searched in vain for quick runs.
Sohail Tanvir and Hasan Ali were good in Barbados but Sarfraz would want more from Wahab Riaz, who conceded at 8.75. With Imad Wasim and 18-year-old Shadab handling the spin department, West Indies batsmen need to be at their best to help the team post a competitive total as the pitch at Queen's Park Oval is expected to be on the slower side.
Brathwaite, who top-scored with 34 in Barbados, will be well served if the team's senior batsmen - Kieron Pollard, Marlon Samuels and Lendl Simmons - step up. The skipper has to decide if Sunil Narine, who impressed with the bat in PSL, needs to bat above himself and big-hitting Rovman Powell.
West Indies should not lose hope as they have enough time (in the four-match series) to make a comeback. However, Sarfraz's men are hungry to clinch international T20 success after PSL and beating the world champions in their own backyard is the best way to do so.
TV Schedule
Pakistan: PTV Sports
India: Ten 2
UK: Sky Sports
Middle East: OSN Cricket
Australia: Fox Sports
South Africa: Supersport
US: Willow TV
Team News
West Indies
Possible XI: Brathwaite (c), Lewis, Walton (Wk), Samuels, Simmons, Pollard, Powell, Holder, Narine, Badree, Taylor
Pakistan
Possible XI: Sarfraz (c & wk), Shehzad, Akmal, Hafeez, Azam, Malik, Imad, Shadab, Tanvir, Ali, Wahab
