Inconsistent Pakistan target winning start

March 3, 2009 - the day when 12 gunmen launched a deadly attack on the touring Sri Lankan team near the Gaddafi stadium, Lahore, resulting in injuries to Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Ajantha Mendis, Thilan Samaraweera and Tharanga Paravitarana. The ghastly attack left unimaginable scars on the minds of the Sri Lankan cricketers and also Pakistan.

Pakistan, as a result, never hosted a cricket game in their homeland, until Zimbabwe became the first team to tour the nation in 2015.

Seven years hence, they defied the odds and thrived in exile to become the No.1 ranked Test side. In tough times, the Asian country climbing to the top spot in the longest format of the game has acted as a balm for their passionate fans back home who are deprived of witnessing cricket in their backyard, after Pakistan were made to adopt the United Arab Emirates as their home since.

The side, however, has struggled to make an impact in the shorter versions of the game. This year, they failed to qualify for the Asia Cup final and bowed out of the World Twenty20 2016 held in India in the group phase. In the backdrop of early exits and disappointing results, Pakistan have the task of reviving their floundering fortunes when they take on the defending World T20 champions, West Indies, in the first of the three-match Twenty20 International (T20I) series to be played in Dubai on Friday (September 23).

That said, Pakistan played with renewed vigour in the one-off T20I against England at Old Trafford earlier this month, and won the game by a resounding margin of nine wickets with the likes of Imad Wasim, Sharjeel Khan, Hasan Ali, Khalid Latif and Wahab Riaz shining brightly. And, to top that, Sarfraz Ahmed led the side admirably and will be hoping his side can carry forward the momentum.

Umar Akmal's return, after he was dropped due to disciplinary reasons for the England tour, would further bolster the side. In the bowling department, Pakistan will hope that the spin duo of Wasim and Mohammad Nawaz can keep a lid on the scoring rate. Hasan's ability to combine short deliveries with well-disguised slower ones also should come in handy for what is expected to be a slow track.

Saad Nasim, the batting all-rounder from Lahore, and Rumman Raees, who is known for bowling lethal yorkers in the domestic circuit, have been given call-ups to the squad.

West Indies, on the other hand, will be missing the services of Chris Gayle and Andre Russell. Gayle sustained a groin strain during the two-match T20I series against India, while Russell withdrew from the tour due to personal reasons.

The visitors, though, still have enough firepower in their ranks to overcome Pakistan. Johnson Charles, Kieron Pollard and Carlos Brathwaite can launch the big hits. Evin Lewis, too, gave a glimpse of his ability to clear the boundary ropes with an enterprising hundred off just 49 balls in the first T20I against India in Florida.

Nicholas Pooran, who first came into the limelight with his blazing innings of 143 against Australia in the Under-19 World Cup in 2014, has been picked. The wicketkeeper-batsman was in prolific form in this season's Caribbean Premier League (CPL) where he compiled 217 runs. Rovman Powell, the middle-order batsman from Jamaica, has also been rewarded for his consistency in the CPL. Incidentally, the duo notched up useful scores to help the visitors overcome Emirates Board XI in a warm-up game a few days ago.

Dwayne Bravo and Samuel Badree will be the mainstays of the bowling line-up. Sunil Narine, too, returns to the set-up. On turning tracks of the UAE, the duo of Badree and Narine should form a potent pair to contend with.

When: Pakistan vs West Indies, 1st T20I on September 23 at 9.30 PM IST (8:00 PM local)

Where: Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai

What to expect: The weather forecast predicts a warm day. The track is expected to be slow and low in nature. Incidentally, spinners like Saeed Ajmal, George Dockrell and Shahid Afridi have ruled the roost on slow pitches of Dubai.

Team news:

Pakistan: There were speculations that a befitting farewell would be given to Afridi before he ends his international career by allowing him to play in a T20I against West Indies. However, the idea has been dropped by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Akmal might slot into the playing XI and in all likelihood, and the hosts might opt for Nawaz as the second spinner. Mohammad Irfan and Mohammad Hafeez have been left out due to fitness problems.

West Indies: Kesrick Williams, known for his deceptive pace and Pooran would possibly make their T20I debuts for the Caribbean side.

What they said: "We respect every opposition that we come up against, and we are going to do the same against Pakistan. We are going to prepare well, knowing that Pakistan are a very, very dangerous team." - Samuel Badree.

Squads:

Pakistan: Sarfraz Ahmed (c&wk), Sohail Tanvir, Umar Akmal, Saad Nasim, Rumman Raees, Hasan Ali, Khalid Latif, Sharjeel Khan, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam, Mohammad Nawaz, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Wahab Riaz

West Indies: Carlos Brathwaite (c), Samuel Badree, Dwayne Bravo, Johnson Charles, Andre Fletcher (wk), Jason Holder, Evin Lewis, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Rovman Powell, Marlon Samuels, Jerome Taylor, Chadwick Walton, Kesrick Williams.