ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, CMC – West Indies A will hope to take something from their three-match one-day series against Pakistan A when they clash in the final game today at the National Stadium here.
The first game finished in a dramatic tie on Tuesday but the visitors bounced back to hammer West Indies A by 71 runs on Thursday and set up an interesting finale to the series.
After sweeping the two preceding Twenty20 matches in Antigua last week, the Windies will be anxious to avoid losing this series especially with the first of two four-day “Tests” starting on Thursday in St Vincent.
They will also be keen on avoiding a repeat of the shocking batting collapse which occurred in the last game, as they chased a paltry total of 172 for victory at Progress Park here.
Their bowlers, led by leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo (4-45) and Test fast bowler Ravi Rampaul (3-27), performed outstandingly in ousting the Pakistanis, only to be let down by their batsmen.
They were 63 for one at one stage but lost their last nine wickets for 38 runs to fall for 101.
There was a similar collapse in the opening game while chasing 228, as they crashed from 154 for three to 227 for seven.
If they are to level the one-day series today, they will need big efforts from seasoned campaigners like Andre Fletcher who has scored 15 and 30 in the two games so far, and young stroke-maker Kieran Powell (41, 3).
Much will also depend on Barbadian batsman Kirk Edwards whose unbeaten 89 almost took them to victory in the opening game.
SQUADS:
PAKISTAN A – Faisal Iqbal (Captain), Khurram Manzoor, Umair Khan, Abid Ali, Amer Sajjad, Usman Arshad, Yasir Arafat, Yasir Shah, Sarfraz Ahmad (wicketkeeper), Zulfiqar Babar, Junaid Khan, Anwar Ali, Tabish Khan, M. Rameez, Shan Masood.
WEST INDIES A – David Bernard Jr (captain), Jason Holder, Devendra Bishoo, Jonathan Carter, Rajendra Chandrika, Johnson Charles, Kirk Edwards, Andre Fletcher, Nikita Miler, Kieran Powell, Denesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul, Gavin Tonge.
UMPIRES: Peter Nero, Nigel Duguid.
