...AND EVERYONE IS SCARED OF PAKISTAN, CLAIMS SARFARAZ

IF Pakistan and West Indies are widely viewed as outside bets for a semi-final place, then their meeting at trent Bridge today already feels like one that neither side can afford to lose. the clash might come down to the big-hitting of the West Indians against the unpredictability of the Pakistanis — even by the admission of both captains. While Jason Holder, the mightily impressive all-rounder who recently led West Indies to a test series win over england in the Caribbean, spoke of his side’s ‘fearlessness’, his opposite number Sarfaraz Ahmed sounded a familiar warning from the Pakistan camp. ‘I think it’s good to be unpredictable,’ he said. ‘All teams are scared because of Pakistan. the Pakistan team is very dangerous.’ that’s certainly one way of putting it. Sarfaraz’s team enter the World Cup on the back of 10 successive defeats by South Africa, Australia and england. Lose today and it will be their longest ever oDI drought. they have, of course, been here before. two years ago, they looked awful in losing to India in their first game of the Champions trophy, only to fight back and beat the Indians in an emotional final. And no one needs reminding of Imran khan’s ‘cornered tigers’ lifting the trophy in 1992. Pakistan, as ever, are full of natural talent. though they lost 4-0 to england earlier this month, they passed 340 three times in a row. Babar Azam is one of the world’s most talented white-ball batsmen, and their trio of left-arm quicks — Mohammad Amir, Shaheen Afridi and Wahab Riaz — will keep opponents on their toes. then again, so will the West Indies batsmen, who warmed up by hammering new Zealand’s attack for 421 at Bristol on tuesday. the one bilateral series england have failed to win in their last 11 came recently in the Caribbean, mainly because the 39-year-old opener Chris Gayle kept thrashing bowlers into the stands with 39 sixes. Andre Russell should also enjoy nottingham’s tempting boundaries. His 510 runs in the IPL for kolkata knight Riders included an astonishing 312 in sixes and a strike-rate of 204. Shai Hope has quietly built a one-day average of 51, with five hundreds since october. ‘every player is in a good frame of mind, and playing with a smile on his face,’ said Holder. ‘We’re fearless, we enjoy what we’re doing and we enjoy one another’s company.’ Whatever happens today, it is unlikely to be dull.