We all can agree that the International Cricket Council (ICC), the hosts, and the visitors need to schedule the series where it doesn’t rain. Yes, it is not in one’s hands to control the weather, but there should be some sense to prevail.  

The five-match series has seen a game-canceled and two games washed out. The only completed game, where Pakistan won, was also rain-affected. And the last T20I will be no stranger to rain as the weather looks to take over Guyana again. Here’s the match preview of the 4th T20I match. 

For starters, this is likely to be West Indies’ last T20I match, the last international match in fact according to the ICC Future Tour Program (FTP). They are scheduled to tour UAE for the title defense in the T20 World Cup. But much to their disappointment, they won’t be able to get much practice in the current series and will have to wait out for two months.

Some names have already turned up this year for the hosts. In runs, it has been Evin Lewis (32 average, 164 SR, 3 fifties) and especially Andre Russell (25 average, 175 SR) at the back end of the innings. In bowling, It’s Obed McCoy, DJ Bravo, and Hayden Walsh. Jason Holder and Russell are slowly making it at the top. The bowlers are looking better than their batting counterparts. And the spin department is also okay. 

Just like Pakistan, they have batting issues. However, unlike Pakistan, they have top-order issues as compared to middle-order. 

The West Indies team is filled with a lot of power but not consistent enough to keep on batting, eventually collapsing in the match. So if there is one thing they need to fix right now, it’s the batting in this last game.

Pakistan’s batting concern

Pakistan’s middle-order has been a concern, but it looks like that apart from Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, no one has been really putting on scores. For the sake of balance, Babar brought in Sharjeel Khan at the opening position in his place. But the left-hander couldn’t produce results. It was a similar dismissal that we have already seen in 2015 and 2016. 

Sohaib Maqsood is yet to play big, Fakhar Zaman is still struggling and the lower order is starting to slowly fade too. 

But the bigger concern is the T20 veteran Mohammad Hafeez. In 2020, he had the best time of his life in T20Is, scoring a mammoth total of 415 runs at 83 average. But this year, it’s the reverse. In nine matches so far, he has scored 106 runs at 11.77 with 113 SR. Though his bowling has been very good, proving to be the sixth option Pakistan can use if needed. 

The bowling has been okay-ish. There are areas that they need to improve. But in the bowling charts for most wickets this year, Hasan Ali, Haris Rauf, Usman Qadir, and Mohammad Hasnain have been good. Shadab, despite not taking wickets, started to show some control which is a piece of good news. 

All in all, it’s the batting that Pakistan needs to put on. Unlike their counterparts, Pakistan still has about five more T20Is before the mega event. 

Match Details:

• Date: Aug 03, 2021
• Timing: 8:00 PM PKT
• Venue: Providence, Guyana
• Weather: Rain is again predicted during the match time and it does not look good for the whole game  

Conditions / Pitch Report: 

The pitch will be the same one as it was in the last three matches. Rain will damp the pitch and if we get some game, the pitch will be slower. 

Head to Head:

Matches: 17 | West Indies: 3 | Pakistan: 12 | Tied/ No-result: 0/2

Form Guide:

West Indies: NR L NR W L  (Most recent first)

Pakistan: NR W NR L L 

Team News:

1. West Indies

With this game being the final international match before the T20 World Cup, West Indies will likely play their strong XI. 

West Indies’s Probable XI:

1. Andre Fletcher, 2. Chris Gayle, 3. Shimron Hetmyer, 4. Nicholas Pooran (WK), 5. Kieron Pollard (C), 6. Andre Russell, 7. Jason Holder, 8. Romario Shepard, 9. DJ Bravo, 10. Hayden Walsh, 11. Akeal Hossain 

2. Pakistan

Pakistan could give a game to Imad Wasim. But it is uncertain that they will make changes in their XI. 

Pakistan’s Probable XI:

1. Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 2. Sharjeel Khan, 3. Babar Azam (C) 4. Mohammad Hafeez, 5. Fakhar Zaman, 6. Sohaib Maqsood, 7. Shadab Khan, 8. Hasan Ali, 9. Mohammad Wasim Jr, 10. Haris Rauf, 11. Usman Qadir

Players to watch:

1. Usman Qadir, Bowler (Pakistan)

It has been a little tough for the son of former leg-spinner Abdul Qadir. With the presence of Shadab, Usman does not bowl much. Most of the time he sits out of the XI. But when he was given a game, he hasn’t been bowling as much as Shadab does.

 When both leg-spinners played together, Shadab bowled 8 overs as compared to Usman’s 6. Although he has been taking up wickets better than Shadab.

 It can be a headache for Babar, but if Usman starts looking more threatening and Shadab starts taking wickets again, the leg-spinning duo can be a dangerous pair in the T20 World Cup. 

2. Jason Holder, Bowling All-rounder (West Indies)  

Jason Holder hasn’t played much T20Is as he did in Test matches and ODI matches. He is not always the first choice in the XI. But with West Indies searching for different combinations, Holder stood up in the second T20I match where he took 4-26, causing a Pakistan collapse.

 He hasn’t been the best of the players in the shortest format, but he can be handy for his side not forgetting that he can add batting to his role too. 

Stats and Trivia:

• Mohammad Rizwan created a new world record in the second T20I match by scoring the most runs in a single calendar year. 
• West Indies are yet to lose a series in their home. They have been unbeaten since March of 2019. 

Also read: Does Mohammad Amir deserve to be in the national squad?