As the West Indies gear up to face Pakistan in a three-match ODI series starting Friday at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad, captain Shai Hope has identified a familiar hurdle: spin bowling. The Caribbean side hasn’t won a bilateral ODI series against Pakistan since 1991, and Hope knows overcoming the spin threat is key to rewriting history.
“The first thing is adaptation,” said Hope. “Every single place that we played in the Caribbean or here in the US, conditions are so different.”
He added, “So, the first thing we need to do is assess, see what’s the best plans to formulate for that particular surface, the wind conditions — all these things we have to take into account.”
Pakistan’s spin quartet led by Nawaz poses major challenge
Hope’s comments follow a narrow 13-run loss in the final T20I at Broward County Stadium, where Pakistan claimed a 2-1 series win. Mohammad Nawaz, the left-arm spinner, dominated throughout the series, taking seven wickets and earning Player of the Series honors.
Now, Nawaz headlines a spin-heavy Pakistan ODI attack also featuring:
Sufiyan Muqeem – left-arm wrist spinner
Saim Ayub – off spinner
Abrar Ahmed – mystery leg spinner
“You know they’re going to bowl a lot of spin at us, and the way how we negate those spinners in the middle overs is going to be very crucial to us as batters,” Hope explained.
Middle overs will decide the series, says Hope
Hope believes the middle overs will be critical — not just with the bat, but also with the ball.
“Same thing with the ball,” he said. “We have to keep finding ways to keep making inroads in the same middle overs.”
He outlined the approach clearly: “Start with the powerplay, try to put them under pressure from early, and then just try to keep taking wickets throughout the innings and limit the bleeding in the middle.”
Historic opportunity after 34 years
The significance of the series is not lost on the West Indies squad. The last time they defeated Pakistan in a bilateral ODI series was over three decades ago. A win this week would end a 34-year drought and signal progress for a team trying to re-establish its identity in one-day cricket.
With spin expected to play a major role at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Hope’s emphasis on adaptability and disciplined execution could prove decisive.
If the West Indies can quickly assess conditions, apply pressure in the middle overs, and counter Pakistan’s spin threat, they stand a real chance of ending a long-standing streak and making history on home soil.
