Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan admitted to facing a selection dilemma over the fifth bowling option, saying a final decision on the playing XI for Tuesday’s series decider would be made after assessing conditions. His remarks came following Pakistan’s defeat in the second one-day international on Sunday.
After winning the opening ODI by five wickets, Pakistan posted a competitive 171-7 in 37 overs in a rain-shortened match, but the West Indies chased it down with five wickets to level the three-match series.
Part-time bowlers Saim Ayub and Salman Agha struggled, conceding a combined 66 runs in seven wicketless overs, allowing the West Indies to cruise to victory.
“You could say our fifth bowler leaked too many runs, but both Salman Agha and Saim Ayub have bowled well for us in recent years,” Rizwan said after the match. “Saim didn’t have the best day today, but he performed well in the T20Is — it’s part of the game.”
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Rizwan added that unpredictable weather and multiple rain interruptions complicated matters. “The weather forecast has been nothing like we expected, and reading conditions has been difficult,” he said. “We’re keeping our options open and will decide on the final XI after evaluating conditions.”