West Indies and Pakistan are rated as the Dark Horses to lift the ICC Champions Trophy. It’s going to be battles within a battle with the likes of Chris Gayle and Keiron Pollard going to take on the likes of Junaid Khan and Saeed Ajmal. Both the teams have some good match-winners in their squad and it’s going to be interesting to see how these two sides adapt to the English conditions.

Here we bring to you the players to watch out for in the match between Pakistan and West Indies.

Nasir Jamshed: Pakistan rely quite heavily on Nasir Jamshed to give their side a solid start which would allow their bowlers to run through the batting lineup of opposition. With the likes of Hafeez in the top-order, he can play the role of sheath anchor really well. He is a very good player as he can play his shots on both the sides of the wicket quite easily.

Chris Gayle: Gayle-storm would be looking to tear apart the bowling of Pakistan with his mighty blows. He is the cornerstone of the fragile batting line-up of West Indies and if he stays on the crease for good 10-15 overs then Pakistan bowlers would find it hard to get his wicket. He is going to be a trump card for his side in this match.

Mohammad Hafeez: Hafeez can play some explosive innings which is very much required in this opening game of their Champions Trophy campaign. He has all the ability to go after the bowlers but he just needs to spend some time in the middle for that. Apart from batting, his bowling skill makes him an even interesting prospect in this match.

Keiron Pollard: Pollard is one of the few players whom you can hardly keep out of the game. He can play the role of either a pinch hitter or a skill-full bowler especially in the mid-overs. His fielding is an added asset for the Windies as he can pluck some amazing catches which can change the complexion of the game.

Saeed Ajmal: Ajmal has been absolutely brilliant irrespective of conditions and that’s what makes him an impact player for his side in this game. His can surely fetch Pakistan some good wickets.

Sunil Narine: Narine would be looking to spell another magic on his opposition with his mysterious deliveries. He do not rely much on the pitch. He can be a game-changer for Windies especially against the fragile batting line-up of Pakistan.

Wahab Riaz: Riaz is the most talked about member of the Pakistan squad. The likes of Wasim Akram and Rameez Raza have praised his all-round dexterity. It’s going to be interesting to see how well he does in this English conditions. He did bowl a magical spell in World Cup semi-final against India where he picked up five wickets. But he hasn’t played much cricket after that.

Ravi Rampaul: Rampaul had a brilliant IPL season for his franchisee and would be looking to put up a good show once again. His ability to swing the ball makes him a dangerous bowler, especially in the death overs. He has that knack of picking up wickets by bowling yorkers on consistent basis.

Junaid Khan: Junaid is one of the best swing bowlers in the world cricket at present and would be looking to stamp his authority in this match. The left-hand bowler had displayed his class against India just a few months back and would be looking to run through the West-Indies top-order.

Dwayne Bravo: It’s going to be the test of his captaincy as this is his first assignment. He has been in good form with the ball but he needs to fire more consistently with the bat to make his contribution count. He has decent record as a captain and he would be looking to improve as the tournament progresses.

By Amit Chopra
Indian Sports News Network