West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo admits that Tuesday’s winner-takes-all World Twenty20 clash against Pakistan will be played with the intensity of a final.
The two sides have both won two and lost one of their Super 10 matches to date and the winner of their final Group 2 clash will join table-topping India in the last four.
Both nations have beaten Bangladesh and the mighty Australians and will now square off in Mirpur to try and stay alive in the competition, with the prospect of a semi-final against South Africa, Sri Lanka or New Zealand for the winners.
The Windies are the defending champions, while Pakistan are also previous winners, and Bravo is adamant that there will be no quarter given when battle lines are drawn at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.
“The intensity will always be there,” he said. “This game is like a final or a semi- final for us. The intensity will definitely be high since both teams are similar.”
The two teams appear evenly matched on paper with plenty of big hitters and an array of talented spin bowlers in the ranks.
And Bravo believes the mercurial nature of the players on view means that it is impossible to forecast the outcome of the contest.
“At times you never really know what to predict with Pakistan and West Indies games,” he added. “But I know it’s going to be a nail-biter because both teams are in the same position.”
Australia play Bangladesh in the other Group 2 clash in the unlikely position of needing to win to avoid the wooden spoon in a group they were expected to win.
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