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3rd ODI Predictions: Pakistan vs West Indies
Pakistan will be facing West Indies in the third and final ODI of the series, at the Multan Cricket Stadium.
Current form
Pakistan defeated West Indies by five wickets in the first ODI to take a 1-0 lead in the series.
WI posted an impressive 305 for 8 wickets batting first, aided by a brilliant 127 by Shai Hope. Haris Rauf was the top wicket-taker for Pakistan with four wickets.
Sadly for WI, Babar Azam was in sterling form and brought up his fourth century in the last five ODI innings to power Pakistan to a five-wicket victory.
In the second ODI, Pakistan emerged winners again by 120 runs.
Babar was once again the key batter with a brilliant 77 runs as Pakistan posted 275 runs for 8 wickets.
In reply, WI folded up for a disappointed 155, stunned by a four wicket burst by Mohammad Nawaz.
So Pakistan definitely are high on confidence whereas the Caribbeans look down and out.
Head to Head record
West Indies and Pakistan have played 134 ODIs matches against each other.
WI have the upper hand with 71 wins while Pakistan have claimed 60 victories.
In the last 5 matches, Pakistan have won 5 and WI have won 2.
Team analysis
The bright spot of WI has been their bowling, in the 2nd ODI.
They contained the formidable Pakistan batting lineup with frequent wickets and controlled the innings for a long time.
Their best bowler was Akeal Hosein who picked up three wickets and displayed remarkable guile and variations.
He was well supported by Alzarri Joseph who went on to pick up two wickets.
The biggest letdown was the performance of Hayden Walsh who was wayward and never found his groove.
It will be hard for the WI bowlers to bounce back.
Amongst the batters, Shamarh Brooks and Kyle Mayers gave a good account of themselves.
The WI team doesn’t lack in talent. Nicholas Pooran, Shai Hope and Rovman Powell are world-class batters but are not showing the application needed to play a long innings.
This could be an effect of playing too much T20 cricket!
For Pakistan, Babar Azam has been the shining star of the team but has been ably supported by Mohammad Rizwan and Imam-ul-Haq.
The bowling attack led by Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf and Imad Wasim has looked capable of picking wickets whenever the need arises.
Pakistan Likely 11
Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan(wk), Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Shaheen Afridi
WI Likely 11
Shai Hope (wk), Kyle Mayers, Shamarh Brooks, Nicholas Pooran (c), Brandon King, Rovman Powell, Romario Shepherd, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Anderson Phillip, Hayden Walsh
Impact players for the match
Babar Azam, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz and Shaheen Afridi are likely to shine.
Babar has scored four centuries in his last five ODIs and became the first batsman to score three consecutive hundreds twice over, during the first ODI.
He has 4364 runs in ODIs at an average nearing 60 and has scored 17 centuries.
The WI batters are vulnerable to spin and the left-arm spin of Nawaz could once again spell trouble for them.
For West Indies, Shai Hope, Nicholas Pooran, Rovman Powell and Alzarri Joseph are the main players who can help WI mount a strong challenge.
Akeal Hosein and Jayden Seales also can do a great job at containing batters and picking up wickets.
Who will win
The odds favour Pakistan who also boast of the home soil advantage.
They are also functioning well as a team with all departments firing smoothly.
WI look totally dispirited and incapable of challenging Pakistan.
We expect Pakistan to win the 3rd ODI handsomely.
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Ben Curran’s Zimbabwe Call-Up: A Historic Moment for the Curran Legacy
Ben Curran, brother of England cricketers Sam and Tom Curran, has earned his maiden call-up to Zimbabwe’s ODI squad for the upcoming series against Afghanistan. The Curran family has deep ties to Zimbabwean cricket, with Ben’s father, Kevin Malcolm Curran, and grandfather, Kevin Patrick Curran, representing Zimbabwe internationally.
The series begins with T20Is on December 11, followed by ODIs and Tests. Ben will feature exclusively in the 50-over format. A left-handed batter, Ben boasts an impressive domestic career, averaging 33.30 in List A and 34.70 in first-class cricket. His inclusion reflects Zimbabwe’s reliance on talent with global exposure.
Zimbabwe’s ODI squad, led by Craig Ervine, also features rising stars like Newman Nyamhuri. The T20I side, captained by Sikandar Raza, includes dynamic players like Blessing Muzarabani and Ryan Burl, signaling a balanced blend of experience and youth for the challenging series ahead.
BGT
Australian Media Criticizes Rohit Sharma After Crushing Defeat to Australia
Following India’s heavy loss to Australia in the first Test of the series, Australian media highlighted key concerns for the Indian team, including Rohit Sharma’s performance as captain. Pat Cummins and his team’s emphatic win by 209 runs sparked discussions about India’s bowling strategy and batting collapse.
Australian newspapers like The Age underscored Mitchell Starc’s lethal bowling display as a stark reminder of his prowess in Test cricket. Starc’s fiery spell dismantled India’s top order, a performance seen as pivotal in Australia’s dominant victory. The media also pointed out the pressure mounting on Rohit Sharma for tactical shortcomings, including field placements and decision-making under challenging circumstances.
India’s batting lineup faltered against Australia’s aggressive bowling, with only a few players resisting. Critics emphasized that the Indian team’s inability to adapt to the pink-ball conditions in Adelaide cost them dearly. The media also praised Australia for its disciplined approach, particularly the consistency of its pace attack, which Starc and Cummins led.
As the series progresses, this defeat puts India under immense pressure to bounce back, especially with the spotlight on Rohit Sharma’s leadership and the team’s resilience. Fans now await India’s response in the next Test.
CRICKET
Chitwan Rhinos Secure Dominant 33-Run Victory Over Sudurpaschim Royals in NPL
Chitwan Rhinos delivered a commanding performance to hand Sudurpaschim Royals their first defeat in the Nepal Premier League (NPL) at Kirtipur. Winning the toss, Chitwan set a competitive total of 164/5 in 20 overs, led by Hassan Eisakhil’s stellar 65 off 52 balls. Ravi Bopara added an explosive 36 off 18 balls, while Sudurpaschim’s bowlers Scott Kuggeleijn and Dipendra Singh Airee each picked up crucial wickets.
In response, Sudurpaschim struggled, bowled out for 131 in 18.2 overs. Despite Ishan Pandey’s resilient 35 and contributions from Saif Zaib and Brandon McMullen, Chitwan’s disciplined bowling attack, featuring Kushal Malla and Amar Routela taking two wickets each, sealed the game. Chitwan now sits third on the table, while Sudurpaschim retains second due to net run rate.
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