AI Simulation, WI vs PAK first ODI | Carty, Lewis, and Shepherd guide West Indies to 1-0 lead in three-match series

08/08/2025

As per Artificial Intelligence, the West Indies will beat Pakistan by five wickets in the first ODI in Tarouba, Trinidad, on Saturday. Medium pacer Romario Shepherd will pick three wickets while Keacy Carty and Evin Lewis will anchor the Windies chase with half-centuries to help them to a 1-0 lead.

Pitch & Weather

A bright Caribbean afternoon with light humidity welcomed both sides to the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba. The pitch was flat with some early seam movement for new-ball bowlers, but slowed down under the sun, making stroke play easier mid-innings. The spinners came into play in the second half of the contest.

Toss & Conditions

Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first.

Lineups

West Indies: Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Keacy Carty, Shai Hope (c & wk), Sherfane Rutherford, Roston Chase, Romario Shepherd, Jayden Seales, Gudakesh Motie, Matthew Forde, Jediah Blades.

Pakistan: Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (c & wk), Hasan Nawaz, Salman Agha, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed, Sufiyan Muqeem.

Match Report

The Brian Lara Stadium witnessed a high-quality ODI as West Indies successfully went past Pakistan’s 278/7 to take a 1–0 lead in the three-match series on Saturday. Romario Shepherd shone with three wickets with the ball while Keacy Carty and Evin Lewis anchored the chase comfortably with valuable half-centuries.

Pakistan got to a good start after electing to bat first, with Saim Ayub (33) being the aggressor, scoring four fours and a six. Meanwhile, Abdullah Shafique took his time from the other end before opening up with five fours and a six in his knock of 46. But both openers departed in quick succession, leaving Pakistan at a tricky 90/2. Babar Azam looked in imperious touch, working singles with ease and punishing anything short. He scored seven fours and two sixes to top score in the match with an 88-ball 78. Mohammad Rizwan (54) complemented him perfectly, rotating the strike and occasionally finding the boundary to complete his half-century. Their century partnership helped the visitors go past 200 in the 40th over. However, Romario Shepherd’s well-disguised slower balls accounted for both set batters in the death overs, halting their late flourish. But Salman Agha and Faheem Ashraf added some quick runs, taking Pakistan past the 275-run mark — a competitive but not imposing total on a good batting track.

Chasing under lights, the West Indies got off to an excellent start. Evin Lewis showed intent as he drove Shaheen Afridi through the covers and pulled confidently. Brandon King provided steady support from the other side as the pair added 91 in just over 15 overs. Pakistan’s spinners slowed down the scoring and dismissed the openers to momentarily lift their hopes. Lewis hit seven fours and two sixes before departing for a well-made 65 off 67 balls, while King scored 41. But Carty looked in sublime form, playing the role of the anchor perfectly, and captain Shai Hope found the boundaries from the other end. They stitched an 83-run stand to take the hosts to a comfortable position before Hope was dismissed for 44 off just 38 balls, a knock that included two sixes and four fours. Carty remained unbeaten to complete the home side’s chase with a boundary in the penultimate over. He had eight fours in his tally of 72 runs, which came in 80 balls, that guided the Windies to 282/5 with nine balls to spare. Afridi was the pick among the Pakistan bowlers with figures of 2/49 in 10 overs.