Pakistan meet Zimbabwe in key tri-series tie today

St George (Grenada), April 14: Pakistan face Zimbabwe and the West Indies in a double-header over the weekend at the Queen's Park Stadium.

On Saturday they play Zimbabwe, who have already lost three matches in a row in the triangular series. Zimbabwe lost on successive days to the West Indies at Sabina Park at the start of the triangular series and on April 5 they lost to Pakistan by five wickets. Which in a way keeps them out of the reckoning of the finals unless they win their last match on Saturday.

West Indies, with three consecutive victories, are already through to the best-of-three finals, take on Pakistan on Sunday in the last league match. But for Pakistan, Saturday's match is just as important after suffering the humiliation of a 96-run defeat against the West Indies at Kingstown on Wednesday.

Pakistan's batting let them down and they certainly are worried that without their star performer Saeed Anwar they could face yet another debacle. "It was a difficult wicket at Arnos Vale. But that is no excuse. We should have been able to get the target of 214 in that match. Some of the boys were out playing poor shots," said Pakistan captain Moin Khan.

The Pakistan team arrived here on Thursday night.

It is unlikely that changes will be made but if at all they find it necessary to rest opener Imran Nazir and play Mohammad Wasim instead, the rest will be the same.

Zimbabwe will play to their full strength. Their batting will revolved around skipper Andy Flower, Grant Flower, Murray Goodwin, Stuart Carlisle, Neil Johnson, Craig Wishart and Alistair Campbell. The pitch will be the same for both the matches. It seems that it will be full of runs provided the Pakistan batsmen play to their full potential.

Pakistan: Moin Khan (captain), Inzamam-ul-Haq (vice-captain), Shahid Afridi, Imran Nazir, Wajahatullah Wasti, Yousuf Youhana, Abdur Razzaq, Wasim Akram, Mohammad Akram, Arshad Khan, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar, Younis Khan, Mushtaq Ahmed, Mohammad Wasim, M. Naveed Qureshi, Atiq-uz-Zaman, Shoaib Malik, Irfan Fazil.

Zimbabwe: Andy Flower (captain), Heath Streak (vice-captain), Alistair Campbell, Murray Goodwin, Dirk Viljoen, Henry Olonga, Neil Johnson, Grant Flower, Stuart Carlisle, Mluleki Nkala, Brian Murphy, Andy Blignaut, Craig Wishart, Guy Whittall, Gary Brent, Tatenda Taibu.

West Indies: Jimmy Adams (captain), Sherwin Campbell (vice-captain), Philo Wallace, Wavell Hinds, Chris Gayle, Ricardo Powell, Ridley Jacobs, Franklyn Rose, Nixon McLean, Reon King, Sylvester Joseph, Laurie Williams, Nehemiah Perry.