Former champions West Indies will lock horns with the incredibly unpredictable Pakistan in what promises to be a high-voltage group B Champions Trophy clash at The Oval on Friday.
The Caribbean team won the title in 2004 besides finishing runners-up in 1998 and 2006. They are high on star power with the intimidating presence of an in-form Chris Gayle being a massive confidence-booster.
Pakistan, on the other hand, are a team full of greenhorns despite being led by the oldest player in the event — a 39-year-old Misbah-ul-Haq.
A look at the line-ups will make the West Indies slight favourites for Friday’s match. Gayle, Marlon Samuels, Kieron Pollard and Kemar Roach have the ability to just knock out the opposition attack with their power-hitting.
In fact, the troika of Gayle, Pollard and Samuels displayed good form at the recent IPL and would be looking to carry the confidence into the Champions Trophy even though the format would be different. Skipper and all-rounder Dwayne Bravo is another player who can be a match-winner on his day.
Pakistan, in contrast, have no big match-winners to boast of after the ouster of senior players such as Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi and Younis Khan. Pace spearhead Umar Gul was ruled out due to injury. But if any team are capable of doing exactly what is not expected of it, they are Pakistan. But it remains to be seen which bunch turns up at the Oval.