Pakistan v West Indies, 3rd ODI, Abu DhabiEye on the future in dead rubber
Will Brendan Nash get another chance?
Match facts
Nov 16, 2008
Start time 3pm (1100 GMT)
Big Picture
The series is in hand but having faced a lot of criticism since he was appointed captain last year, Shoaib Malik will be keen to complete a whitewash to boost the side's confidence ahead of India's tour of Pakistan early next year. The first two matches have been fairly close, with West Indies holding the edge at half-time. A nerveless performance from Kamran Akmal, when his side needed 17 off the last over, gave Pakistan the series lead while a disciplined and tight performance from the seamers handed them the series win. It's now time for the others to step up.
West Indies are not unfamiliar with a series whitewash, having lost 5-0 to Australia at home only five months back. But they head to New Zealand in December and will prefer to have a win under their belt before tackling the month-long tour. Players from both sides will want to use the dead rubber to make a case for selection for future series.
Form guide (last 5 ODIs)
Pakistan WWWWL
West Indies LLWWW
Watch out for
Saeed Ajmal: He dropped two catches off Shivnarine Chanderpaul but also picked up a wicket while bowling an economical nine overs for 38 runs. He made his ODI debut against India in the Asia Cup and will be keen to make the squad for the five-match one-day series against the same opposition in February 2009.
Sohail Tanvir: He troubled the West Indies batsmen by swinging the ball both ways and dismissed the openers, Chris Gayle and Sewnarine Chattergoon, for ducks in the second game.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul: He averages 84 in his previous 10 ODIs but his only century in those games came in Friday's loss. He will hope for another big score, preferably one that will not only keep him on top of the run-getters list but also hand West Indies a consolatory win.
Team news
Pakistan are unlikely to change a winning combination despite it being a dead rubber. Saeed Ajmal is likely to keep his place over Fawad Alam, who went wicketless in the first match, as is Iftikhar Anjum, who was unlucky not get more than one wicket in the second ODI - Chanderpaul was dropped off his bowling. Malik said Shoaib Akhtar was struggling with a calf injury and his fitness will be assessed ahead of the final match. But Pakistan would not want to risk straining Shoaib in a match that holds no consequence for them.
Pakistan (probable): 1 Salman Butt, 2 Khurram Manzoor, 3 Younis Khan, 4 Misbah-ul Haq, 5 Shoaib Malik (capt), 6 Kamran Akmal (wk), 7 Shahid Afridi, 8 Sohail Tanvir, 9 Iftikhar Anjum, 10 Umar Gul, 11 Saeed Ajmal.
Will West Indies give another chance to Brendan Nash, who was run out for 9 in the first game? Nash, who moved to Jamaica after not receiving a contract with Queensland in 2007, was called up to the Test squad against New Zealand. Although Nash is more of an accumulator than a one-day dasher, Gayle may want to give him some experience before the Test tour.
West Indies (probable): 1 Chris Gayle (capt), 2 Sewnarine Chattergoon, 3 Ramnaresh Sarwan, 4 Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 5 Xavier Marshall, 6 Carlton Baugh (wk), 7 Brendan Nash, 8 Jerome Taylor, 9 Daren Powell, 10 Nikita Miller, 11 Lionel Baker.
Stats & Trivia
* Sohail Tanvir has been the most economical bowler among those who have bowled more than 15 overs in the series so far. He has conceded 3.89 an over for his five wickets at 14.80. Lionel Baker is the next-best, having given away 4.31 an over for four wickets at 20.50.
* In the second ODI, Pakistan gave away 22 extras while West Indies conceded only six.
Quotes
"We will do our best because my aim has always been to improve and be among the world's top two teams. Here is an opportunity for us to do that."
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