The Pakistan Champions are geared up to defeat their West Indian counterparts in the World Legends Championship (WCL) 2024 semifinals today (Friday) and advance to the finals, stated all-rounder Shahid Afridi.
Afridi emphasised that all the players are resolute in their aim to win the semifinal and secure a place in the final, noting that fans can expect great entertainment, especially if the final is against India.
In the group stage, Pakistan emerged as one of the top teams under Younis Khan’s leadership, securing four victories out of five matches. They recorded impressive wins over Australia, India, West Indies, and England, only falling to South Africa in their final group match.
Fast bowler Sohail Tanvir, who was rested for two matches, confirmed his readiness for the finals, stating he is fully fit.
Pakistani batters have shown remarkable performance, with Sharjeel Khan (209 runs) and Shoaib Malik (204 runs) among the top five scorers of the tournament, and Sohaib Maqsood (182 runs) also making it into the top ten.
Conversely, the West Indies, led by Daren Sammy, won just two out of five group matches but progressed to the semifinals due to a superior Net Run Rate (NRR) over South Africa. Their campaign started with a 55-run loss to Australia, followed by consecutive wins against England and South Africa. However, they lost their final two group matches against India and Pakistan.
Pakistan enters the match as the favourites, but with the likes of Chris Gayle, Daren Sammy, and Dwayne Smith, the West Indies could pose a significant challenge to the Pakistani bowlers.
Match Time:
- PST: 4:30 pm
- Local time: 12:30 pm
- GMT: 11:30 am
Squads:
Pakistan Champions
Younis Khan (c), Misbah-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal, Abdul Razzaq, Wahab Riaz, Saeed Ajmal, Sohail Tanvir, Sohail Khan, Tanvir Ahmed, Mohammad Hafeez, Aamer Yamin, Shoaib Malik, Sohaib Maqsood, Sharjeel Khan, Umar Akmal, Yasir Arafat, Taufeeq Umar
West Indies Champions
Chris Gayle, Daren Sammy, Samuel Badree, Tino Best, Rayad Emrit, Jason Mohammed, Navin Stewart, Ashley Nurse, Dwayne Smith, Sulieman Benn, Chadwick Walton, Jerome Taylor, Fidel Edwards, Kirk Edwards, Jonathan Carter