Start time: 1030, 31/05/2019
Venue: Trent Bridge
TV: Sky Sports
Pakistan head into the ICC Cricket World Cup on a woeful run of form, but we’re backing them to come good when it matters against the West Indies in Nottingham.
As befitting their Cornered Tigers nickname, Micky Arthur’s side do tend to come out fighting on the big stage, lifting the Champions Trophy two years ago.
This is a chance to redeem their reputation and 4/5 is good enough to get our vote as an opening Pakistan vs West Indies prediction.
Keep an eye on Pakistan
Just two wins in 14 completed ODI fixtures this year is a poor return for Pakistan, but the strength of opposition must be noted.
Away series’ against South Africa and England came either side of facing Australia in the United Arab Emirates, so this game will be a welcome drop in class.
Losing to Afghanistan in a warm-up match is obviously worrying, but again we must emphasise that this is a team which becomes far more focused at major tournaments.
Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq and Babar Azam would grace any batting line-up in the competition and we’re leaning towards the first-named player to top score at Trent Bridge.
The left-hander was man of the match in the 2017 Champions Trophy final after a sensational ton against India.
Fakhar has sparkled in brief patches since then, most notably when he became only the sixth batsman to record an ODI double century after smashing 210 not out against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo last year.
He again showed what he is capable of during the recent ODI series against England and 333/100 for him to be his side’s leading batsman appeals from the Pakistan vs West Indies odds.
West Indies’s betting tips
Admittedly, the Windies do also seem to mean business at this tournament, with politics put to one side for a change and all their IPL stars available.
Chris Gayle, Evin Lewis, Andre Russell and Shai Hope can always be destructive with the bat in hand, with the first-named legend sure to be fired up for what could be his final swansong on the global stage.
The fire still burns bright within the Jamaican opener, who dispatched England’s bowlers to all parts during their recent one-day series in the Caribbean, to the tune of 424 runs at an average in excess of 100.
If given time to warm to his task, he will punish any side and 3/1 for Gayle to hit most runs for the Calypso Kings is added to our Pakistan vs West Indies betting tips.
The Windies do lack a bit of variety in the bowling department, though, and that could prove their undoing in Nottingham.
