The Pakistan cricket team are about to visit the Caribbean for a long and important white-ball series against West Indies during which they'll be playing three T20 internationals and as many One-Day internationals against the hosts, starting on July 31. But for West Indies themselves, these are really harrowing times, losing T20I matches against Australia again and again at home. In fact, it won't really be a misnomer to state that West Indies have seen far better days in the past where it comes to T20 international cricket, in particular.
An embarrassment in recent T20Is for West Indies
Together when they play as one, they become a destructive unit, with a killer mindset. But the more West Indies rely on individual brilliance, the team tends to near hard times, and it becomes tough for one particular individual to carry the mantle of the entire team on his own merit.
That being said, here's a disturbing bit of statistic. Heading into the final T20I of the series against Australia, currently being played in the Caribbean, the West Indies cricket team is facing the risk of being completely whitewashed having already lost four out of four games with one left to be played at the Werner Park in Basseterre.
More heartbreaks at home in Caribbean
Heading into the fifth and final 20-over contest against Australia, Shai Hope's team would be desperate to avoid another embarrasing fiasco having only experienced one just a little over a week's time where at Sabina Park in Jamaica, the West Indies found themselves 27 all out in the third Test match of the series.
Quite frankly, much was said about the team back then as to how in the aftermath of such a disappointing low, they'd be charging back at Australia in the T20 white-ball contests that were a follow up to the Tests. But in reality, the team went further downhill. Spare a thought for Shai Hope who faces the predicament, or should one say, the inevitable of being blanked out five-nil against Australia and that too, at home despite playing well himself.
Hope's the only relief for West Indies
After clobbering a maiden T20I ton against Australia in the third match of the series, a fine 102 not out at the very ground on which Shai Hope's to lead the team in the fifth game of the series, there was an expectation of Windies fighting back. But even a big 214-run team score was made lightwork by the Australians who chased down a hefty ask in just 16.1 overs. Tim David played the destructor-in-chief in the contest with a hundred of his own.
As the Windies head into the final contest and get ready for a fresh Pakistan challenge up ahead, here's a statistic that'll further worry them: They've now lost 15 of their last 17 completed T20 internationals and the weight of this disturbing stat is really hard to endure.
