Pakistan will host West Indies in a 3-match T20I series that will kick off on the 13th of December. Pakistan is a top-quality side when it comes to the shortest of the game. They had a dream run in the T20 World Cup and recently whitewashed Bangladesh 3-0 last month.

Make your dream11 team prediction and India vs New Zealand series Fantasy League prediction with our fantasy cricket tips and suggestions. Get early updates, game previews, news, suggestion, prediction for your fantasy team in our exclusive section Fantasy Sports.

Read Also: Ashes records: Every Ashes series winner since 1882

Pakistan vs West Indies: 1st T20I match Preview

Match Details :-

Match: Pakistan vs West Indies – 1st T20I
Venue: National Stadium, Karachi.
Date & Time: 13th December 2021 at 6:30 PM (IST)
Where to Watch Live:  Sony Sports Network & SonyLiv app.

Pitch Report: Pakistan vs West Indies : 1st T20I Preview

Pitch Report: It's one of the best batting surfaces in Pakistan and the ball comes easily on the bat, while the dew factor will play a huge role in this match. It will be a challenge for the bowlers to grip the ball. We can expect a high-scoring game between these two sides.

Also Read: Sourav Ganguly: "We are planning to make pink ball Test a regular affair in India"

Head to Head Stats: Pakistan vs West Indies:

Matches Played: 18
Won by Pakistan: 12
Won by West Indies: 3
No Results: 3

Pakistan team is leading the head to head charts by a margin of 12-3 in 18 games. Also, Pakistan is playing in their home condition so they are much ahead in the game.

Team News : Pakistan vs West Indies: 1st T20I

Pakistan :

Pakistan had a great run in the T20 World Cup and also won a series against Bangladesh last month. So, it is easy to say that they are much ahead in the series. Meanwhile, they are playing in their home condition thats an added advantage for them. They have some key players in the team likes of Babar, Rizwan, Shaheen and Haris Rauf.

Its a good news that International cricket is back at Pakistan's home after long years. National Stadium, Karachi is hosting the T20I series against Pakistan. It will be intresting to see spectetors at the ground after many years in Pakistan.

Read Also: Most T20I runs by a Captain in a Calendar Year

West Indies :

West Indies have a lot of concerns prior to the first T20I as Sheldon Cottrell, Roston Chase and Kyle Mayers have been ruled out of the T20 series due to covid positive. T20 specialists Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell, and Shimron Hetmyer are also unavailable due to different reasons. It's a great opportunity for the young lads to prove their mark. It will be interesting how Nicholas Pooran will lead the side in this series.

Pakistan vs West Indies: 1st T20I : Possible Playing XI

Pakistan :

Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Babar Azam (C), Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Khushdil Shah, Asif Ali, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani.

West Indies :

Shai Hope, Brandon King, Darren Bravo, Nicholas Pooran (C & wk), Rovman Powell, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, Dominic Drakes, Akeal Hosein, Hayden Walsh, Oshane Thomas.

Also Read: Ashes 2021-22: Most test wickets by spinners

1st T20I: Fantasy Cricket Dream11 Team Prediction: Pakistan vs West Indies:

You must change your team if any of these players aren't announced in the starting lineup.

After a 10-wicket defeat against Scotland in the 2027 World Cup Qualifier, Stuart Law has been sacked from his position as the Head Coach of the USA National Men's national cricket team

Dismissal of the former Australian cricketer was an inevitable outcome of the rough start in the World Cup League 2 series in Dallas. There, the USA scored just 144 runs, losing all wickets in the opener at Grand Prairie Stadium. Scotland’s Andrew Umeed scored 98*, chasing down the target within 24.5 overs .

The defeat to Scotland compounded recent challenges for the team, which entered the match after a 3-0 T20 series defeat to Nepal.

Statement from USA cricket

USA Cricket released a statement that said, "USA Cricket announced the departure of Men’s National Team Head Coach Stuart Law today."

It also added, "Law was appointed to the position in April and led the team during the USA's historic performance at this year’s T20 World Cup, where the team advanced to the Super 8 in its inaugural World Cup appearance."

The CEO of USA Cricket Johnathan Atkeison acknowledged Law's contribution to the team and accepted that it wasn't an easy decision for the board.

“Given Stuart’s contribution to the program, this was not an easy decision to make,” said Atkeison. “Unfortunately, we felt that a change was necessary for the next phase of competitive preparation.”

Stuart Law sacked despite of 2024 T20 World Cup's remarkable run

In April, Stuart Law got a three-year contract as the head coach of the team. With Law's coaching, the USA has a remarkable campaign in the 2024 T20 World Cup, a tournament hosted by them and co-hosted by the West Indies.

The team registered a historic win against Pakistan in Dallas. Not only that, they reached the Super 8s, which had sparked thoughts of them as a probable top 4.

Stuart Law had however coached countries like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, West Indies, and Afghanistan. With USA seeing a sudden upsurge under his coaching, a sudden fall in the team's result has abrupt ended his coaching tenure with the team.

New Zealand so far has received only three ICC trophies, including its recent triumph in the 2024 ICC Women's T20 World Cup.

Funnily, the first win for New Zealand was in the previous generations of fans, a generation that saw the two gorgeous captains Stephen Fleming and Saurav Ganguly.

The second win came in the next generation when the Virat Kohli-dominated Indian test side fell short to the representative of gentleness and calmness, Kane Williamson.

Here are all the three triumphs of New Zealand in the ICC tournaments.

2000: The Champions Trophy

Earlier known as the ICC Knockout Trophy, the Champions Trophy of 2000 was the first-ever ICC tournament that the Kiwis won.

The tournament was hosted in Kenya.

In the quarterfinals, New Zealand defeated Zimbabwe by 64 runs, advancing towards the seminal where they defeated Pakistan by 4 wickets. 

Coming to bat, Pakistan posted a huge total of 252, based on Saeed Anwar's 104 runs. While chasing, even though the Black Caps trembled a bit, they managed in the middle with the likes of Roger Twose (87), Nathan Astle (49), and Craig McMillan (51*).

In the final, they met the Indians. The Men in Blue, who were enjoying an undefeated streak in the tournament, fell short of winning the final despite Ganguly's 117-run innings.

Chris Cairns' unbeaten 102 led New Zealand to 265/6, winning by four wickets and securing their maiden ICC trophy.

2021: World Test Championship

The second big ICC tournament that New Zealand won was the inaugural World Test Championship in 2021, held in the Oval.

The rain-affected test match saw the Kiwis restricting the Indians to 217 in the first innings. Kyle Jamieson had his standout performance for New Zealand with his bowling figure looking 5/31.

New Zealand took a 32-run lead. However, in the second inning, India's batting crumbled for 170, posting a minimal 139 runs chase for New Zealand.

New Zealand achieved the target, losing 2 wickets, becoming the first ever test champion for the WTC.

2024: ICC T20 Women's World Cup

New Zealand's third ICC title came after they claimed their first Women's T20 World Cup title by beating South Africa by 32 runs in the 2024 final.

After posting 158/5, led by Amelia Kerr's 43 and Brooke Halliday's 38, New Zealand restricted South Africa to 126/9 in 20 overs. Kerr also shone with the ball, taking 3/24.

Despite Laura Wolvaardt's strong start for South Africa (33 off 27), their middle order faltered under pressure. This victory marked a remarkable turnaround for New Zealand, who entered the tournament after a 10-match losing streak.

List of ICC Trophies won by New Zealand

After the 8 wickets defeat against New Zealand in the first test, India needs to win 5 out of seven tests to qualify for the World Test Championship final.

India is currently playing the second test against New Zealand at the Mumbai Cricket Association, where New Zealand won the toss and decided to bat first.

Even after the defeat in the first test, India is enjoying the top position in the World Test Championship points table, with 68.06%.

However, New Zealand has moved up to fourth with 44.44%, creating additional pressure for India to perform well in the remaining fixtures.

India’s Road to Qualification

To ensure a place in the WTC final, the two-time runners-up India needs to win 5 out of 7 test matches. However, four wins will make them depend on the performance of other teams.

The remaining two matches in the 3-match test series against New Zealand are crucial, as they need to win to ease their way to the final, as India will face Australia in the next series.

India will tour Australia for the highly anticipated 5-match Border-Gavaskar-Trophy test series. Australia right now is in the second position with 62.50%.

Australia's performance against strong contenders will heavily impact the final standings.

Competition from Other Contenders

Australia, like India, needs four out of seven tests to qualify for the final. However, India must also keep an eye on South Africa and New Zealand, who are both vying for a top-two finish.

South Africa right now sits in the fourth position with 47.62%, with a chance to reach 69.44%. All they need to do is win at least 4 of their 5 remaining tests. Winning all of them, however, won't put them in the calculator situation.

🚨 WTC Final Alert:

With South Africa's win in Mirpur, 3 wins aren't enough for India now!

The race for the finals just got intense. Every match counts! 🇮🇳🏏#WTC2023 #Cricket #INDvNZ #rohitsharma #PatCummins #WTC #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/w74FOwdfBp

— Sportz Point (@sportz_point) October 24, 2024

New Zealand too shares the same situation with the proteas. They will have to win all five of the remaining test series to hope for qualification. A dominant win against India in the first test may boost their confidence, as all the leftover tests are against India (two away remaining and three at home)

England, on the other hand, is in the sixth position with 43.06% and can only finish with a maximum of 60%. That means they will have to depend on the performance of other teams to qualify.

Read Also: ICC confirm venue and dates for World Test Championship 2025 final

Other Teams in the table

Teams like Pakistan, West Indies, and Bangladesh have already been eliminated from contention, as they cannot breach the 50% mark even if they win all their remaining matches.

Latest updated World Test Championship points table

Pakistan ended their 11-match winless streak in home Test matches with a dominating 152-run victory against the mighty England in Multan. After a disappointing defeat in the first test, this win has leveled the series to 1-1.

Pakistan has bounced back with a brilliant all-round performance to revive their faltering form in the second Test. A test team without big names like Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Naseem Shah has proved to the world about their bench strength.

Read Also: A Flying Kiss to Glory: Kamran Ghulam’s Test Debut Steals the Spotlight

The triumph marked Pakistan's first Test victory on home soil since February 2021, bringing an end to a long spell of frustration in the longest format.

Spin Duo Dominates with Historic Performance

Major credit for Pakistan’s victory goes to spinning duo Sajid Khan and Noman Ali, who together claimed all 20 wickets in the match. Sajid concluded with figures of 7/111 and 2/93, while Noman ended with 3/101 and a career-best 8/46 in both innings. 

Their efforts were pivotal, and this performance made them only the seventh bowling duo in Test history to take every wicket in a match.

Both Sajid and Noman were absent in the first test. However, the newly appointed selection panel decided to experiment them in for the second match, which proved to be a masterstroke. Their spin-heavy attack dimantled England’s batting lineup, utilizing conditions in Multan in the best way possible.

Shan Masood Ends Six-Match Losing Streak as Captain

This win is Shan Masood's first win as a captain. Earlier, he lost 6 test matches, and luckily a win after a crashing defeat should be enough to boost his confidence as a captain.

Read Also: Shan Masood receives a special gift from PCB for completing 2000 test runs

Masood has also acknowledged the significance of the win as a crucial one in his captaincy career. Not only that, he heaped praise on his teammates. He expressed his satisfaction for the grit and hunger his mates showed on the field.

This victory not only kept Pakistan's hopes alive in the series but also provided a morale boost to a team that had struggled for consistency on home turf. The final match of the series will now determine whether Pakistan can carry forward this momentum and clinch the series against a tough English side.

Kamran Ghulam, the replacement of Babar Azam in the team, has scored a steady half-century in 104 balls, raising questions about Azam's future in the test team.

Having replaced former captain Babar Azam after a crushing defeat in the first Test against England, Ghulam walked onto the Multan pitch with immense pressure on his shoulders. When Pakistan looked on the verge of crumbling, he stood calm.

However, his celebratory flying kiss towards the dugout, making Mohammad Rizwan laugh, became the talk of the town. 

Babar Azam's replacement Kamran Ghulam gave flying kiss to Babar Azam after scoring fifty on Test debut 😂 🔔 Rizwan laughing 🤣#PAKvsENG pic.twitter.com/CATGrTvysv

— Atmaram Tukaram Bhide (@BakchodBhide) October 15, 2024

Who Is Kamran Ghulam? The Man Behind the Flying Kiss

Kamran Ghulam, born on October 10, hails from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and made his first-class debut at just 17. His domestic career had enough volumes to give him his deserving seat in the national side. A prolific batter with over 4377 runs in 59 matches, averaging 49.17, however, had to wait patiently for his chance.

He represented Pakistan at the U19 World Cup in 2014 and made his international debut in an ODI against New Zealand last year. However, he did not get his chance to bat or ball in the match.

A Ravindra Jadeja fan, Ghulam stepped calmly in the trembling ship of Pakistan. His century was mostly formulated by targeting the spinners.

Babar Azam’s Exclusion: Sponsors in Search of Big Face

Babar Azam, the former captain, not being selected can look unexpected but not surprising. Let alone his face and brand value, his recent form wasn't doing enough to keep him in the playing 11.

Despite being hailed as Pakistan’s best batter by captain Shan Masood and coach Jason Gillespie, the selection committee, headed by Mohsin Naqvi, recommended Babar’s exclusion following his prolonged form slump.

Babar, since December 2022, has not even scored a single half century in international cricket. Not only that, but the early exit of Pakistan from the 2023 ODI World Cup had brought his captaincy under scrutiny.

Read Also: Babar Azam Resigns as Pakistan's White-Ball Captain for the second time 

No.of Fifties by Babar Azam in last 2 years - 0

No.of Fifties by Kamran Ghulam in just 1 match - 1 pic.twitter.com/7jRuR4o4A8

— Dinda Academy (@academy_dinda) October 15, 2024

Gillespie had stressed the need for consistency in team selection, but Babar probably got the instruction wrong. A consistently inconsistent Babar Azam scored 35 runs across two innings in the first Test against England.

Babar Azam career ends here

Replacement of Babar Azam score half century on used pitch.#PAKvsENG pic.twitter.com/GW6mZ18lhr

— Ctrl C Ctrl Memes (@Ctrlmemes_) October 15, 2024

Kamran Ghulam was brought in, not just as a replacement but as a fresh face to revive Pakistan’s batting fortunes.

But sponsors here will now have problems. Babar Azam, performing or not performing, has been the dead face for endorsements. With Babar Azam sidelined, it is a new tension for them, a new problem for them to solve.