Raja slams standard of WI pitches

Former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja criticised the quality of pitches in the West Indies, calling them a major reason behind the decline of cricket in the region.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ramiz highlighted that the pitches, particularly in Trinidad, fail to meet international standards and hinder the team's ability to play competitive cricket.

"I have said before that West Indies pitches, especially in Trinidad, are substandard. This is why West Indies cricket is not progressing," he said.

According to Ramiz, the majority of pitches in the Caribbean are of similar quality and such conditions are never encountered in global tournaments. He stressed the need for urgent improvements if West Indies cricket is to regain its former stature.

"West Indies need significant improvement in their pitches. In ICC events, you will never find such pitches," he concluded.

For the unversed, the West Indies secured a thrilling five-wicket victory over Pakistan in the rain-affected second ODI.

Weather update

The all-important third and final ODI between West Indies and Pakistan will be played on Tuesday at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, with the series finely poised at 1-1.

Similar to the rain-affected second ODI, which saw 15 overs deducted due to persistent showers, the series decider is also expected to face weather interruptions.

Forecasts suggest intermittent rain throughout the day, potentially causing disruptions for both teams.

According to AccuWeather, Tarouba is expected to remain mostly cloudy, with a high of 33°C and a RealFeel temperature of 40°C.

Light morning rain is likely, followed by brief showers in the afternoon, bringing an estimated 7 mm of precipitation over approximately 2.5 hours.

Winds from the east are predicted at 13 km/h, with gusts reaching up to 33 km/h. The probability of precipitation is 85%, with a 25% chance of thunderstorms. Cloud cover is expected at 76%, and the UV index will remain moderate at 5.

The stakes are high as the West Indies look to secure their first bilateral ODI series win against Pakistan since 1991, when they triumphed 2-0 in a three-match series.

The win, powered by crucial innings from Roston Chase and Sherfane Rutherford along with important contributions from captain Shai Hope, leveled the series 1-1.

The match was reduced to 35 overs due to rain interruptions. Chasing a target of 181, West Indies got an early scare as Hasan Ali dismissed opener Brandon King for just one run in the second over.

Hasan struck again shortly after to remove Evin Lewis, who scored seven, leaving the hosts struggling at 12-2 inside 3.1 overs.

The West Indies middle order came under pressure after Keacy Carty fell cheaply for 16, handing Abrar Ahmed his first wicket. Sherfane Rutherford then launched an aggressive assault, putting Pakistan's bowlers under severe pressure.

Abrar conceded 20 runs in Rutherford's over as the fourth-wicket partnership flourished.

Mohammad Nawaz broke the partnership by dismissing Shai Hope, who made 32 off 35 balls, including two boundaries and a six.

Rutherford was nearing his fifty but was also dismissed by Nawaz after scoring 45 off 33 deliveries, featuring four boundaries and three sixes.

With the match slipping away, Roston Chase and Justin Greaves formed a crucial 73-run partnership. Chase remained unbeaten on 49 from 47 balls while Greaves contributed 26 runs off 31 deliveries, guiding West Indies to victory in 33.2 overs.