Only a dramatic reversal in form can stop Pakistan from winning their opening Champions Trophy match against an under-strength West Indies today.
It is the only easy match for Younus Khan’s Pakistanis in the four-team group as West Indies are without their first-choice side following a contract row between the players and their cricket board.
Bangladesh, who have not even qualified for this tournament, put the current West Indies team in proper perspective when they clinched both the Test and one-day series in the Caribbean earlier this year.
Pakistan could not have asked for a better beginning to their bid to become only the second team after India to win three ICC-conducted tournaments — the World Cup, Twenty20 World Championship and Champions Trophy.
Pakistan, winners of the 1992 World Cup and this year’s Twenty20 Worlds, will have tougher assignments ahead as they face India and Australia in their next two matches.
The top two teams advance to semi-finals.
Many feel that a depleted West Indies side is not the best advertisement for the tournament, especially when the 50-over format is under pressure from the growing popularity of the Twenty20 cricket.
“The West Indies have always been my favorite team and I’d love to compete against a full-strength side,” Younus said recently.
Star performers Chris Gayle, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shivanaraine Chanderpaul and Dwayne Bravo all are missing from the squad, currently led by Floyd Reifer.
The focus will be on Pakistani paceman Mohammad Asif, returning to one-day cricket after serving a one-year ban for a failed dope test.
With Pakistan announcing their playing eleven only on the morning of the match, it is yet to be seen whether they will disturb a settled combination to accommodate Asif against the West Indies.
Taiwan kept their hopes of advancing to next year’s World Baseball Classic (WBC) alive with a 9-1 victory over South Africa in a qualifier at the Taipei Dome on Saturday, backed by solid pitching. Taiwan last night played against Nicaragua. As of press time, Nicaragua was leading 6-0. Bouncing back from Friday’s struggles on the mound, when Taiwanese pitchers surrendered 15 runs to Spain, Team Taiwan on Saturday kept the visiting team in check, allowing just one run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Starting pitcher Sha Tzu-chen struck out one and allowed no hits, except for a hit-by-pitch over
Taiwan kept its hopes of advancing to the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) alive with a 9-1 victory over South Africa in a qualifier at the Taipei Dome last night, backed by solid pitching. Bouncing back from Friday’s struggles on the mound, when Taiwanese pitchers surrendered 15 runs to Spain, Team Taiwan kept the visiting team in check, allowing just one run in the bottom of the fourth inning. The win was crucial for Taiwan, as a loss would have eliminated the team from contention for the next WBC. Starting pitcher Sha Tzu-chen (沙子宸) struck out one and allowed no hits, except for
Team Taiwan are set to face Spain in a win-or-go-home match tonight for the final berth at the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC), despite losing to Nicaragua 6-0 in the WBC qualifier at the Taipei Dome on Sunday. The home team’s loss on Sunday means Nicaragua finish first in the qualifier round in Taipei with a perfect 3-0 record and advances to next year’s finals. After crushing South Africa 9-1 earlier on Sunday, Spain took second place in the four-team qualifier with a 2-1 record. With a 1-2 record, Taiwan finished third while South Africa placed at the bottom with
Team Taiwan avoided missing the World Baseball Classic (WBC) for the first time by defeating Spain 6-3 in a do-or-die game in Taipei last night. After narrowly escaping a mercy-rule loss to Spain in the WBC Qualifiers opener on Friday last week, the home team — winner of last year's WBSC Premier12 title three months ago — got their revenge against the 2023 European champions at Taipei Dome. "It felt quite different from when we won the Premier12," Taiwan captain Chen Chieh-hsien (陳傑憲) said after the game, recalling the ups and downs the team has experienced over the past few days. Unlike in
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