Die Schatten
»
Wilkommen
»
Pirate Galaxy
»
red three assists in the games following to the struggle against a well-organized Italy. But Wales will likely field an equally
Match facts October 13-17 2016Start time 1530 local (11:30 GMT)Big picture Pakistan are no longer the No. 1 Test team, having lost the top ranking to India, but they still retain the sense of being champions. They are set to play their 400th Test match, a landmark game in more than one way since it will be played with a pink ball, under lights, at the Dubai International Stadium. It will be only the second ever day-night Test, following the Australia-New Zealand match in Adelaide last year.First-class matches have been played under lights in both Pakistan and West Indies, but the experience is still a new one for most of the players from both sides. The visibility of the ball post-dusk has been a talking point, particularly with the pink ball sporting a black seam, but there is more excitement than anxiety among the players in the lead-up to the Test.The UAE has previous experience of staging pink-ball cricket, having hosted the English first-class season-opener between MCC and the champion county under lights multiple times since 2010. Those matches, however, were all played at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Dubai is hosting its first pink-ball match, and it will be interesting to see if the stadium, which has a capacity of 25,000, can draw sizeable crowds for the Test match.Pakistan sit comfortably ahead of West Indies in the rankings table and are playing in familiar conditions, but they will guard against complacency. They will be without their best batsman, Younis Khan, who is resting after recovering from dengue fever, and are likely to feature two debutants as well as a new-look combination with five specialist batsmen and an allrounder slotting into a five-man bowling attack.West Indies lost their most recent Test series 2-0, at home against India, and the margin could have been worse if not for rain. They havent begun this tour well either, having been whitewashed in both the ODI and T20 series, and it will not be a surprise if they suffer another 3-0 reverse in the Tests. But they have gained a bit of confidence from their two warm-up games, in which as many as six of their batsmen - Leon Johnson, Shai Hope (twice), Jermaine Blackwood, Shane Dowrich, Kraigg Brathwaite and Darren Bravo - made half-centuries, while their bowlers also got among the wickets. It remains to be seen, though, if the No. 8-ranked Test team can make any sort of dent in Pakistans proud record in the UAE.Form guide Pakistan: WLLWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)West Indies: DLDLDIn the spotlight Babar Azam announced himself with three back-to-back hundreds in the ODI series, and Younis Khans absence will allow him to showcase his talents at Test level. Pakistan have a strong batting group, and Babar will need to extend his ODI form into his Test debut to make it hard for the team management to leave him out when Younis returns.Darren Bravo struggled in the home Tests against India, but he will be encouraged by the fact that his overseas average (51.18) far exceeds his average at home (29.35). He comes into the series with a bit of form behind him, with an innings of 61 in the second ODI and a 91 for the West Indians in their tour game against the PCB Patrons XI in Sharjah. Legspinner Devendra Bishoo also impressed in that match, picking up a five-wicket haul in the first innings, and will be relied on to do a lot of bowling if he plays.Team news Pakistans Test line-up has been fairly stable over the last few years, but they have often craved an allrounder to give them flexibility in different conditions. Mohammad Nawaz, who is likely to make his Test debut in Dubai, could be that sought-after player with his batting and left-arm spin. Babar Azam will come in for Younis Khan as he recuperates from his recent bout of dengue fever.Pakistan (possible): 1 Sami Aslam, 2 Azhar Ali, 3 Asad Shafiq, 4 Misbah ul Haq (capt), 5 Babar Azam, 6 Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), 7 Mohammad Nawaz, 8 Wahab Riaz, 9 Yasir Shah, 10 Mohammad Amir, 11 Sohail Khan.With half-centuries in both warm-up matches, Shai Hope has made a case for inclusion in West Indies middle order. Marlon Samuels, who has been in poor form in Test matches of late, didnt play either game, and it will be interesting to see if he retains his place at No. 4. With Roston Chase established as their first-choice spin-bowling allrounder, West Indies will choose between Devendra Bishoo and Jomel Warrican as the specialist spinner to partner him.West Indies (possible): 1 Kraigg Brathwaite, 2 Leon Johnson, 3 Darren Bravo, 4 Shai Hope/Marlon Samuels, 5 Jermaine Blackwood, 6 Roston Chase, 7 Shane Dowrich (wk), 8 Jason Holder (capt), 9 Devendra Bishoo, 10 Miguel Cummins, 11 Shannon Gabriel.Pitch and conditions Temperatures in the UAE have come down and the weather is likely to be cooler than it was during the limited-overs matches. Dew could be a factor, though neither side has complained about it so far. It is understood that the ground staff have used anti-dew spray on the outfield to minimise its impact and reduce the likelihood of spinners experiencing difficulty gripping the ball in the evening.Stats and triviaPakistan are playing their 400th Test match. They played their first match in Delhi against India in 1952. In their 63 years and 11 months as a Test team, Pakistan have won 128 games, lost 113, and drawn 158.Yasir Shah is five wickets short of 100 in Test matches. He has played 16 Test matches so far, and will become the joint-second-quickest to the mark if he gets there in Dubai.West Indies have won four Tests and lost 25 while playing away from home in the last ten years. Three of their four wins have been against Bangladesh. The last time they won an away Test against an opposition other than Bangladesh was in December 2007, in Port Elizabeth against South Africa.Quotes I think there could be no better time than this to make his Test debut. He has played mature innings and has developed well. He has played well not only here but also in New Zealand and looks a good prospect.Misbah-ul-Haq on handing Babar Azam a Test debutWe obviously went down in our last series, but it is a fresh series here and we had a pretty good lead up to this Test series. We have been here quite a while and most of the guys had a good camp in the Caribbean.Jason Holder doesnt think his teams poor showing at home against India will have a bearing on this seriesCustom Authentic Baseball Jerseys . -- Canadian Andrew Wiggins got the ball on the wing, made a nifty spin move and then let go with a soft floater from about 10 feet that swished through the net in Allen Fieldhouse. Custom New York Mets Nike Jerseys . -- Stanford squashed Oregons national championship hopes again, schooling the Ducks in power football. https://www.custombaseballnikejerseys.com/ . "I was fortunate to play many years at this level with a great organization and unbelievable teammates," said Hejduk in a statement. Custom Baseball Jerseys . After Gasquet beat fifth-seeded Ivan Dodig of Croatia 7-5, 6-3, Tsonga followed up with a 6-7 (3), 6-2, 6-2 win against sixth-seeded Edouard Roger-Vasselin in an all-French match. Fake Custom Nike Baseball Jerseys . The Redskins announced Monday that the quarterback who led the team to the Super Bowl championship in the 1987 season will serve as a personnel executive.LILLE, France -- Belgium is facing Wales in a European Championship quarterfinal on Friday. Here are five Belgium players to watch:---THIBAUT COURTOISComing off a disappointing Premier League season with Chelsea, marred by a three-month layoff following knee surgery, Thibaut Courtois wants to cement his status as one of the best goalkeepers of his generation. He could hardly be blamed for conceding twice during Belgiums below-par Euro 2016 opener against Italy. Courtois kept a clean sheet in all three games since, also denying Zlatan Ibrahimovic on several occasions during the Swedes last international game.---RADJA NAINGGOLANNot just for his punk-style haircut or colorful throat tattoo, Radja Nainggolan has become one of the most eye-catching players of the Belgian team. The Roma midfielder is a key element to coach Marc Wilmots tactical approach, providing an invaluable link between defense and attack. He also scored the late goal for Belgiums 1-0 win over Sweden. Nainggolan became the center of some off-field controversy when Italian media reported on his smoking habits. Coach Wilmots, however, said he was already aware, quipping I make sure we always get him a room with a balcony so he doesnt set off the fire alarm.---EDEN HAZARDWhats next for Eden Hazard? Improving with every game Belgium played this competition, he reached his peak with a dazzling performance in the last 16, highlighted by a superb solo run through the Hungarian defense on his way to Belgiums third of four goals. However, he picked up a thigh injury that night which put a question mark behind his availability for the quarterfinal gamme against Wales.dddddddddddd. Some doubted coach Wilmots decision to make Hazard the teams captain after injured Vincent Kompany was ruled out for Euro 2016. Hazard has often failed to replicate his stunning form at Chelsea when playing for the national team, but this time it might just be the other way round after a poor season in the Premier League.---KEVIN DE BRUYNERecovering from a knee injury and becoming a father in the early months of 2016, Kevin De Bruyne still has to get into his stride again. The Manchester City midfielder scored five times to help Belgium qualify for Euro 2016 but hasnt found the net so far in France. Like the whole team, De Bruyne got better and delivered three assists in the games following to the struggle against a well-organized Italy. But Wales will likely field an equally tight defense to make life hard for him again.---MICHY BATSHUAYIMaking the headlines this week for undergoing a medical examination possibly linked to a move to Chelsea, Michy Batshuayi is about to make his breakthrough for the national team. Yet to start a game for Belgium, the Marseille striker has been remarkably effective by scoring three goals in six rather short appearances for the team. Set up by Hazard, Batshuayi netted with his first touch of the ball in the last 16-game against Hungary and celebrated with a backflip. Coach Wilmots might stick with his first-choice striker Romelu Lukaku for now but Wales should be aware if Batshuayi comes on as a substitute once more. ' ' '