There are so many variables in this match that it is hard to have any faith in any prediction that comes from it. Pakistan have been losing steadily for the past two years now, losing 0-5 to Australia, and many other losses on top of that, while West Indies had to qualify, and were beaten twice by Afghanistan, a team who also beat Pakistan in the warm-ups. But then comes the problem – West Indies just scored 421 in beating New Zealand by 91 runs in the warm-up and are hence one of the teams to beat, while Pakistan have potential too. Arghhh. It will be entertaining, to say the least, with West Indies’ batsmen up against Pakistan’s bowlers, though both teams have enough of the other skill set to win them the match. What to predict?
Five Fearless Predictions:
(1) Andre Russell will put on a show
His form is irresistible and surely the big man will do some big hitting come the end of the innings. Whether or not he takes wickets with what was once his main skill, fast bowling, is another issue entirely but surely we’ll get a quickfire 50 off 20 at the end, as near a guarantee. Anyone who saw him in the IPL saw how consistent he was.
(2) Pakistan are going to be up and down
If they start well, they’ll finish badly, and, conversely, if they start badly they’ll finish well. It’s a predictable unpredictability that seems to be a part of every game they are in. There are moments where they look like they will win easily only to lose badly. Followers of the team know that the formula to determine who is winning for this team, where 3/35 off 10 overs means they are going well, while 1/50 off 10 means they are probably going to lose. Perhaps not quite as simply as that, but something like that. Oh, this team! They are so frustrating to support!
(3) Chris Gayle is going to be fun
He might get 10 off 4 balls then hole out in the deep in the first over, or be clean bowled off a straight one for a duck, or get 30 off 20 and out just at the wrong moment, or get a useful 60 off 43, or dominate with 120 off 90, or annihilate with 250 off 150. You just never know how long he is going to last. It really depends on the fielding side. If you don’t get him out then you pay the price. But if you focus on getting him out it’s usually fairly easily. But then sometimes you just can’t. Arghh. Predicting this team is hard.
(4) This match is going to be fun to watch
While it might end up being very one-sided, or it might be close, or it might be one-sided the other way, it is just a match that is going to be entertainment plus.
(5) West Indies will win, I think
I am 0 for 1 with my predictions so far, so won’t manage my 2007 World Cup record of correctly predicting every match, but maybe I can still get most right. South Africa messed up last night against England but surely West Indies won’t mess up against Pakistan. Mind you, Pakistan might just be too good on the day, bowling West Indies out cheaply, or just simply firing. I think West Indies is a better team, though, and it should be an easy win. Whether it actually is is another matter entirely.
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