Buoyant Afghanistan takes on experienced West Indies

The last time Afghanistan played a Twenty20 International against West Indies, Mohammad Nabi held his nerve to steer his side to a six-run victory at the 2016 World T20 in India.

Taking into account their recent T20I and One-Day International series wins against Ireland, Asghar Stanikzai and his men have now won five of their last seven bilateral series. They're also on an 11-match winning streak.

Ten of those wins have come against Associate Member nations, but it is a confidence booster nonetheless when Afghanistan takes on West Indies in the first T20I at Warner Park in St. Kitts on Friday (June 2).

West Indies, however, will be smarting as the chief reason it is available to host Afghanistan is because it failed to qualify for the on-going Champions Trophy in England and Wales. Since the dramatic victory over England in the WT20 final 14 months ago in Kolkata, the side has had limited success in its favourite format, winning just two of nine T20Is.

If the home side wants to set the record straight, nothing less than a clean sweep in the three-match series, which will be followed by the ODI series starting on June 9, will do.

Despite resting Jason Holder, the Carlos Brathwaite-led West Indies looks the more formidable side with the likes of Kieron Pollard, Lendl Simmons, Sunil Narine, Samuel Badree and Marlon Samuels match-fit after stints at the Indian Premier League. Ronsford Beaton, the only uncapped member in the 13-member squad, may also get a look in. Beaton has 31 wickets in 36 T20s, a best of 4 for 9, and has represented Guyana Amazon Warriors and Trinbago Knight Riders in the Caribbean Premier League.

For Afghanistan, it is the reliability of its batting that is the main concern, especially with the absence of Mohammad Shahzad, the attacking wicketkeeper-batsman who is serving a suspension following a positive test for a banned substance earlier this year.

But it has bonafide match-winners in Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan. The duo made history this year as the first Afghan players to appear in the IPL, playing for Sunrisers Hyderabd. And with Samiullah Shenwari and Shapoor Zadran too in the mix, the bowling can't be taken lightly.

Afghanistan has started its tour on a winning note, edging out the WICB President's XI by 12 runs in a warm-up match on Wednesday. Defending a total of 115 for 9, Rashid starred with 3 for 11 to keep the home side to 103 for 9. Whether it can build on that win remains to be seen.

Teams (from)
West Indies: Carlos Brathwaite (capt), Samuel Badree, Ronsford Beaton, Evin Lewis, Jason Mohammed, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Rovman Powell, Marlon Samuels, Lendl Simmons, Jerome Taylor, Chadwick Walton (wk), Kesrick Williams.

Afghanistan: Asghar Stanikzai (capt), Afsar Zazai, Amir Hamza, Dawlat Zadran, Fareed Ahmad, Gulbadin Naib, Javed Ahmadi, Mohammad Nabi, Shafiqullah Shafiq (wk), Nasir Jamal, Noor Ali Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Rashid Khan, Samiullah Shenwari, Shapoor Zadran, Usman Ghani.