West Indies wins the toss in first ODI against Pakistan, chooses to bowl

West Indies captain Dwayne Bravo won the toss and chose to bowl against Pakistan on Sunday in the first ODI of the five-match series.

Umar Akmal and Shahid Afridi both made it to the team after Pakistan selectors ignored them for last month’s Champions Trophy. Akmal is also the wicketkeeper for his team.

Ahmed Shehzad also returned to the Pakistan side, and has replaced Imran Farhat as the opening partner of Nasir Jamshed.

Surprisingly, Pakistan left out its ace left-arm fast bowler Junaid Khan, and included Asad Ali to share the new ball with Wahab Riaz and Mohammad Irfan.

Chris Gayle is playing his 250th one-day international as the hard-hitting opening batsman becomes only the third West Indian to reach this landmark after Brian Lara (299 matches) and Shiv Chanderpaul (268 matches).

West Indies opening batsman Johnson Charles will be wicketkeeper, after regular wicketkeeper Dinesh Ramdin was ignored for at least the first two ODIs of the series.

Squads:

Pakistan- Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Nasir Jamshed, Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Asad Shafiq, Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Wahab Riaz, Asad Ali, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Irfan.

West Indies- Dwayne Bravo (captain), Johnson Charles, Chris Gayle, Darren Bravo, Lendl Simmons, Marlon Samuels, Kieron Pollard, Darren Sammy, Kemar Roach, Sunil Narine, Jason Holder.