SHARJAH, UAE: Pakistan will look to keep its dominance over West Indies during the current series, it held since beginning when the two sides will meet for first one day international (ODI) of three-match series at Sharjah Cricket Stadium in United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Friday.
Pakistan completed whitewash over T20 Champions West Indies by winning the third T20 international at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on September 27 but now it needs to carry on the winning streak in ODIs.
Both teams are desperate to beat each other in ODIs as the winning side will be more likely to seize direct spot in ICC World Cup 2017. Pakistan is currently ranked 9th in ICC ODI rankings whereas West Indies is at number 8.
If Pakistan wins the ODI series against West Indies by 3-0, the former will replace the latter for 8th position in rankings.
However, Pakistan hasn’t been upto the mark as in their last 11 ODs, green shirts won only 2 games. But yet Selectors decided to rely on Azhar Ali under whose captaincy, Pakistan played 25 ODIs in which it won 9 matches while lost 15.
Pakistan 1st ODI Squad (Possible)
Azhar Ali (Captain), Sharjeel Khan, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Sarfraz Ahmed (Wicket Keeper), Muhammad Nawaz, Imad Wasim, Wahab Riaz, Muhammad Amir, Hasan Ali/Rahat Ali
West Indies 1st ODI Squad (Possible)
Evin Lewis/Jonathan Carter, Johnson Charles, Darren Bravo, Marlon Samuels, Denesh Ramdin (Wicket Keeper), Kieron Pollard, Jason Holder (Captain), Carlos Brathwaite, Sunil Narine, Sulieman Benn, Shannon Gabriel
The second ODI between Pakistan and West Indies will take place on October 2 at the same venue while third match will be played on October 5 in Abu Dhabi.
