Intense heat will test the fitness of players when Pakistan hosts the West Indies in the three-match ODI series starting in Multan on Wednesday (June 8). The Pakistan Cricket Board had to relocate the series to Multan from Rawalpindi last week because of the uncertain political situation in the country. The opposition, led by former Prime Minister Imran Khan, is planning rallies in the federal capital Islamabad, which is adjacent to Rawalpindi.


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The temperature is expected to top 45 degrees Celsius (113 Fahrenheit) this week in Multan, and organizers have pushed back the starting time for games to 4PM local time to give some respite from the intense heat. The Pakistan Cricket Board also planned to provide players with ice collars and vests during stoppages in play and extra water breaks to keep them hydrated.


“We’ll try to make the guys understand what they have to do personally to hydrate themselves properly both before, during and after the games,” West Indies head coach Phil Simmons said Tuesday.


“The heat is going to be extreme, (but) Pakistan are playing in the heat, too, so it’s going to be an even contest when we start the day. How we deal with it before, during and after is going to help us a lot.”


West Indies are coming off a 3-0 series win over Netherlands last week at Amstelveen, where their top-order batters scored prolifically. Shamarh Brooks, Shai Hope and Kyle Mayers scored centuries while Brandon King also made 91 not out in the second game.


Match Details


Pakistan vs West Indies, 1st ODI


Venue: Multan Cricket Stadium


Date & Time: June 8 at 4.30 PM IST


Live Streaming and TV details: Sony Six network and SonyLiv website and app


PAK vs WI Dream 11 Prediction


Wicketkeeper: Shai Hope, Mohammad Rizwad


Batters: Shamarh Brooks, Fakhar Zaman, Brandon King, Babar Azam


All-rounders: Shadab Khan, Kyle Mayers


Bowlers: Shaheen Shah Afridi, Hasan Ali, Akeal Hossain


Captain: Babar Azam


Vice-Captain: Shamarh Brooks


PAK vs WI Probable Playing XI


Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Shah Afridi


West Indies: Shai Hope (wk), Kyle Mayers, Shamarh Brooks, Nkrumah Bonner, Nicholas Pooran (c), Brandon King, Keacy Carty, Alzarri Joseph, Hayden Walsh, Akeal Hosein, Anderson Phillip