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.