West Indies vs Zimbabwe, ICCWCT20 2022, Today Match Prediction 19 October 2022

win vs zim Match Prediction & Analysis

Both teams will now travel to Geelong after their opening game in Hobart. First, it was their failure to qualify for the Super 12 and now the Windies have got off to a losing start in the Round 1 stage.

The loss must have affected the team’s morale. They were already without their star batter Shimron Hetmyer in this tournament and now a crushing loss against a team like Namibia is too much to take for the 2016 champions.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe delivered an inspiring performance in their season opener against Ireland. Sikandar Raza’s 82 off 48 balls at number 6 followed by a concerted bowling performance got Zimbabwe their first win.

In this match, the likes of Madhevere, Ngrava, and Muzarabani are expected to deliver impactful performances. The experience of Sean Williams and Ryan Burl will also be key for Zimbabwe.

Shamarh Brooks who replaced Hetmyer batted at number 5 in the lineup and failed to get going. Windies were bowled out for 118 runs by a T20 team who had not played international cricket since June.

It is the bowling attack of Scotland that was their weakness and yet the Windies were outplayed by them. Zimbabwe will back themselves to pose a tough challenge to the 2-time winners. 

TEAMS PREVIEW

West Indies Preview

Nicholas Pooran has a big task on his hands. To stage a comeback from such a loss in the opening game of the season is no joke. But then again, the Windies are known for delivering surprises and here the opposition, though worthy and competitive, is still someone Pooran and co. can beat. 

There would be no reason for West Indies or the fans to doubt the team’s winning probability going into this match. West Indies are a strong overall side that features some of the best T20 players from the Caribbean.

Brandon King was the top scorer in the recent CPL and will be expected to deliver a significant inning in the top order. Evin Lewis has joined Kyle Mayers at the top and the two form a mighty opening pair. With the skipper coming in at number 4 followed by Brooks and Powell at 5 and 6, this lineup looks as good as any in T20 cricket.

All they need is one inspiring performance like Raza delivered for Zimbabwe. There are no complaints in the bowling department. Whether it is the in-form Alzarri and Holder or the big-hitting bowler Odean Smith, everyone seems to be up to the mark in their roles.

West Indies Predicted Playing XI:

Kyle Mayers, Evin Lewis, Brandon King, Shamarh Brooks, Nicholas Pooran (c & wk), Rovman Powell, Jason Holder, Odean Smith, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Obed McCoy

West Indies Actual Playing XI:

Obed McCoy, Johnson Charles, Akeal Hosein, Nicholas Pooran, Alzarri Joseph, Rovman Powell, Kyle Mayers, Jason Holder, Evin Lewis, Shamarh Brooks, Odean Smith

Zimbabwe Preview

Craig Ervine will be pleased with his team’s recent outing. While there are a few concerns at the top, having an experienced batsman in the middle order like Raza who’s also reliable is a big positive for Zimbabwe.

They need to get their top order back on track before the Windies bowlers wreak havoc. The opposition has a strong bowling attack and relying solely on one batsman to save the day is not a good tactic. The captain himself has a strike rate of just above 100 from 50 T20Is. He opens the innings for his side which we reckon isn’t a good idea. 

The 22-year-old batting all-rounder Wesley Madhevere has a slightly better strike rate at 122 and is a more promising player. He has been a regular feature in the side for quite some time now.  Sean Williams, Raza, and Ryan Burl will be expected to build partnerships and help Zimbabwe reach a competitive total. These are the key batters in the middle and lower order. 

The bowling is more promising in this Zimbabwe T20I setup. Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngrava, and all-rounders like Raza and Williams will all pose a tough challenge to a struggling Windies team.

Zimbabwe Predicted Playing XI:

Regis Chakabva (wk), Craig Ervine (c), Wesley Madhevere, Sean Williams, Sikandar Raza, Milton Shumba, Ryan Burl, Luke Jongwe, Tendai Chatara, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani

Zimbabwe Actual Playing XI:

Richard Ngarava, Ryan Burl, Tony Munyonga, Sikandar Raza, Milton Shumba, Regis Chakabva, Wesley Madhevere, Tendai Chatara, Blessing Muzarabani, Sean Williams, Luke Jongwe

PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS

Weather Conditions

The pitch has often been slow on this ground. The batters need to survive initially and in the latter stage of the game can go for the big shots as the pitch tends to flatten out. The weather will be partly cloudy with a high of 21 degrees Celsius on the match day.

Venue Details

The Bellerive Oval in Hobart, the venue for this game, has an average 1st innings score of 169 runs from 55 domestic T20s. This will be good news for teams looking to win the toss and bat first. A total of 160 above will be enough to defend on this ground with the kind of bowling attack the two sides have got.

Toss: To Bat

Teams batting first in BBL have won 30 of the 52 matches at this venue. The last couple of T20 World Cup matches were also dominated by teams batting first. Both the Windies and Zimbabwe would look to bat first if they win the toss.