Pakistan and Windies hoping to get out of ODI inconsistency with the latter facing a fight to qualify for the World Cup.
Pakistan and West Indies look to break out of their ODI funk.
Consequently, this is the series that may never have occurred. The PCB made no effort to hide their annoyance at being forced to play a three-match ODI series in Trinidad following T20Is in Florida; a couple more short-form matches in the US would have been ideal. Their opposite number believed that a trip of the West Indies should at least involve Pakistan’s first visit to the region, and that once they arrived, they might as well play the 50-over matches that they had decided upon together.
Additionally, the West Indies firmly believe that attempts to prevent them from participating in ODI cricket should end. They were excluded from the two most recent ICC tournaments in the format, and their 2023 qualification loss prevented them from competing in the Champions Trophy this year as well as the World Cup that year. The West Indies have only won one of their 2025 ODIs, which have consisted of three matches each versus England and Ireland.
If the West Indies want to avoid missing a third consecutive 50-over ICC event, they must swiftly improve that. They are in 10th place, and only the top eight teams—aside from hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe—are guaranteed to qualify for 2027. Since Zimbabwe is well outside of the top eight, the West Indies will actually need to place in the top nine, one spot above their current ranking, to guarantee automatic passage by the deadline. Winning the series against Pakistan, who are six spots higher in the rankings, would be very beneficial.
Despite their recent ODI form, Pakistan is the clear favourite for this series. With their lone victory interspersed with seven losses, their win-loss record this season is poorer than the hosts’.
It includes an embarrassing Champions Trophy tournament in which they were eliminated in the first five days and left with no wins at the bottom of their group.
Pakistan entered 2025 buoyed by ODI optimism. They appeared to be a strong team with a proven formula that worked when they won three straight away series in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Australia. Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf were both among the leading wicket-takers for fast bowlers in 2024, and Saim Ayub was playing at his best.
The nucleus of Pakistan’s team is still the same, even though everything was to go to waste after Ayub was hurt in Cape Town. Additionally, Ayub has returned to full fitness and is very close to his peak performance. Mohammad Rizwan is the team’s wicketkeeper batsman, and Shaheen and Naseem Shah lead the bowling attack.
The No. 2 player in the ICC ODI rankings, Babar Azam, is also back. However, it is unclear if Pakistan will repeat their clumsy tactic of tossing Fakhar Zaman up to start the batting in the Champions Trophy, which was motivated more by Aqib Javed and irrational optimism than by any proof of its efficacy.
The West Indies team is similar to the one that went on a summer tour of England, despite Shimron Hetmyer’s continued absence due to a side injury. Evin Lewis and Brandon King have recovered from their injuries to join the team.
Commercially, this series might not have much going for it. It’s in the wrong season, in the incorrect time zone, and between the wrong sides. However, for the West Indies, it can be the difference between a spot in the ICC World Cup and financial ruin once again.
At a time when Pakistani cricket is less marketable than ever, it is an opportunity for the visitors to demonstrate that they are still as good as anyone else. Perhaps there isn’t anything wrong with the games that will take place in Trinidad this week if the value of a series is what’s at risk.