West Indies name squad for Pakistan ODIs

Cricket West Indies (CWI) has announced the 15-member squad for the 50 over leg of the white ball home series against Pakistan, set to take place at the iconic Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad. The series will feature three CG United One-Day Internationals (ODIs) on August 8, 10 and 12. Hunting a fourth consecutive ODI series win at home, the squad has the nucleus of players who were successful during home series wins against England and Bangladesh to end 2024 as well as the tour of the United Kingdom earlier this year.

The highly anticipated tour will be the final one of the "Full Ah Energy" home series and provides an opportunity for CWI to focus on building its ODI team ahead of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027.

Alzarri Joseph has been given an extended rest to continue workload management while Romario Shepherd makes a return after missing the matches against Ireland and England earlier this year.

Head Coach Daren Sammy is excited for the team to continue the momentum of the last 18 months.

"Pakistan presents a different test and challenge as we continue our push for automatic qualification for the 2027 World Cup."

"While qualifying is our immediate goal, maintaining a winning mentality and team cohesion is essential for long-term success."

Sammy also added, "The upcoming matches against teams like Pakistan, who are ranked higher, provide crucial opportunities to earn valuable ranking points to improve our standing ahead of the World Cup."

Pakistan Squad: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Sufyan Moqim

West Indies Squad: Shai Hope (Captain), Jewel Andrew, Jyd Goolie, Kjorn Ottley, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Justin Greaves, Alick Athanaze, Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Gudakesh Motie, Sherfane Rutherford, Jayden Seales, and Romario Shepherd.

Akram backs Babar

Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram has called for Babar Azam's return to the national T20 squad ahead of the Asia Cup, emphasising the need for an experienced batter in crucial tournaments.

Babar last represented Pakistan in a T20 International against South Africa in December 2024. Following a string of underwhelming performances, including a lower strike rate, he was dropped from the squad. Speaking in a recent interview, Akram expressed his strong support for the senior batter's return to the T20 setup.

"If I had the authority, I would definitely include Babar Azam in the national T20 team," Akram said.

"The Asia Cup and then the World Cup are approaching, and we need a senior batter. Fans may recall that when he represented Somerset in 2019, he scored runs at nearly a 150 strike rate. He has the ability to adapt his batting according to the situation," he added.

The former left-arm pacer stressed the importance of experience in high-pressure matches, particularly in major tournaments, and highlighted Babar's ability to anchor run-chases.

"When we're chasing 140 or 160, especially against big teams, we need someone who can take responsibility and carry the other 10 players along with him. Babar is among the world's best players," he stated.

"He adjusts his game to the format and match situation — he's done it in the past and can do it in the future as well. Babar still has a lot of cricket left in him and can achieve much for Pakistan. We all need to support him," he added.

When asked about Babar's ideal position in the batting lineup, the 59-year-old shared his tactical perspective.

"The coach can play Babar at any position he wants. In my opinion, number three is ideal for him, but it will depend on the situation. If there are more overs left, someone else could also go in to bat first," he concluded. It is pertinent to mention that Babar's recent form in T20Is has been under scrutiny. In his last 10 matches, he scored 236 runs at an average of 26 without a single half-century.

Notably, he failed to reach double figures in three of his last five innings.

For the unversed, the 30-year-old last led the national team during the 2024 T20 World Cup, where Pakistan's disappointing campaign led the PCB to prioritise youth development.