The West Indies will hope to forget their off-field turmoil and underlined their status as World Twenty Champions when they face buoyant Pakistan in a three-match series starting today.
The supremely talented but troubled side have arrived in the United Arab Emirates after sacking coach Phil Simmons and without all-rounder Andre Russell, who is facing a doping hearing.
West Indies will miss flamboyant hitter Chris Gayle, who will miss T20 owing to injury problems and makes only sporadic appearances for his country. Brathwaite will now captain the side in UAE and hopes his team will show their huge talent in the humid conditions in Dubai.
Pakistan is also in good form, smashing hosts England by nine wickets in the only Twenty 20 game of their tour in what was Sarfraz Ahmed’s first match as skipper. Ahmed, who replaced Shahid Afridi following Pakistan’s first-round exit in the World Twenty20, hopes his team won’t be overawed by the champions.
West Indies, the defending WT20 champion, has defeated India in a two-match series in Florida, so they will start as a favourite over Pakistan.
Pakistan also defeated England in their last T20I outing. Gayle’s absence will not make West Indies a weak team as they have destructive players like Johns Charles, Evin Lewis.