WI vs PAK: Cricket West Indies (CWI) announced on Sunday that in agreement with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), they have reduced one T20I game from their five-match T20I series. Hence, the two teams will now play a four-match T20I series.
With one game reduced, the series will now commence from July 28 at Kensington Oval, Barbados instead of its original opening date, July 27.
A revised schedule had to be released owing to the changes to the fixtures of the ongoing West Indies versus Australia ODI series, which is due to complete on Monday, July 26. The series got obstructed midway when a West Indies staff tested positive for COVID-19. The second ODI, which got shelved, resumed on Saturday.
“Together with the PCB, CWI has examined various scenarios, and we jointly agreed that the best solution in the present circumstances is to cancel the first T20I and play a four-match T20I series starting on Wednesday and keep the rest of the tour schedule unchanged. We want to express our gratitude to the PCB Chairman, Ehsan Mani and CEO, Wasim Khan and the Pakistan team for their understanding in this situation and for agreeing to the revised match schedule. Both teams are in the final stages of preparing for the ICC T20 World Cup, so we anticipate an exciting and entertaining series of games as both teams compete for Osaka Presents PSO Carient T20 Cup.”
Ricky Skerritt, CWI President
The West Indies versus Pakistan series forms part of the build-up to the next ICC T20 World Cup which will be played from October 17 to November 14 in the United Arab Emirates and Oman. The two teams will lock horns in a two-match Test series starting August 12, following the completion of the T20I series on August 3 at Guyana National Stadium.
West Indies would be walking into the series with a 4-1 T20I series victory over Australia. Winning the second ODI by four wickets, they have levelled the ongoing ODI series against Australia 1-1 after Australia won the first game by 133 runs.
Pakistan, on the other hand, lost the three-match ODI series 3-0 to England. The team won the first T20I but ended up losing the T20I series to the hosts by 2-1.
WI vs PAK Full Revised Schedule
July 27: 1st T20 match at Kensington Oval
July 31: 2nd T20 match at Guyana National Stadium
August 1: 3rd T20 match at Guyana National Stadium
August 3: 4th T20 match at Guyana National Stadium
August 12-16: 1st Test at Sabina Park
August 20-24: 2nd Test at Sabina Park