ZIM vs WI
Match & Dream 11 Prediction, Betting Tips, Playing 11, Pitch Report and Analysis - Feb 04, 2023
Zimbabwe and West Indies will go up against each other in a two-test match series. Neither side plays too much test cricket, especially against each other and so the occasion is noteworthy. The sad reality, though, is that Test cricket is not a priority for players nowadays and both teams are going to be missing some key players.
Some of the best cricket betting sites (Parimatch) have Zimbabwe as the clear underdog heading into this match. in fact, the odds on West Indies winning and the Draw are quite similar. Let us take a closer look at both teams.
Match prediction and cricket betting tips for Zimbabwe vs West Indies 1st Test 2023. The match will be played at the Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo from the 4th of February 2023 onward.
ZIM vs WI Team Previews
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe has been forced to name a number of uncapped players for this squad because of a combination of injuries. player unavailabilities, and selection policies. Sean Williams, Blessing Muzrabani, Tendai Chatara, Sikandar Raza, and Ryan Burl are all missing from the squad.
This makes the batting quite weak and the wicket-taking potential of the bowling lineup is quite questionable as well.
Gary Ballance has a lot of experience in Test Match cricket with England and is perhaps the best equipped to make an impact in this match. Apart from him, though, we would not place too much faith in the Zimbabwe team for this match.
Zimbabwe Playing 11
Innocent Kaia, Tanunurwa Makoni, Chamu Chibhabha, Craig Ervine, Garry Ballance, Tafadzwa Tsiga, Brandon Mavuta, Wellington Masakadza, Brad Evans, Victor Nyauchi, Richard Ngarava.
West Indies
West Indies has transitioned to picking almost all exclusive red-ball players for its Test team. Almost none of the players are a part of their white-ball setup or coveted by T20 leagues around the world. Sad as it may be, that seems to be the future of the game.
Kraigg Brathwaite will lead the team and also the batting effort. He has some promising batters in the lineup like Nkrumah Bonner, Tagnarine Chanderpaul, Roston Chase, Joshua da Silva, and Kyle Mayers. If the players are able to just apply themselves a little, they will have runs to their hart's content!
Shannon Gabriel, Alzarri Joseph, and Kemar Roach lead a pretty strong bowling unit as well. The spin options are a bit think but it may not matter too much in this series.
West Indies Playing 11
Kraigg Brathwaite, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Raymon Reifer, Jermaine Blackwood, Kyle Mayers, Roston Chase, Joshua Da Silva, Jason Holder, Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Kemar Roach.
Pitch and Conditions
The conditions in Bulawayo are not the greatest. There is some rain predicted for the first three days and while we should have some play each day, a significant portion of time could be lost. The pitch is generally quite flat, slow, and difficult to take wickets on.
It will take something special from the bowlers to be able to pick up 20 wickets.
ZIM vs WI Betting Tips
We don't think Zimbabwe has any realistic chance of winning this match. In fact, we think even coming out with a Draw is going to be quite hard. All things considered, West Indies is far superior in comparison to Zimbabwe and should be able to win this match. The only real risk is the weather.
Bet on West Indies to win.
We are eager to know what you think of our match predictions, if there is anything we can do better or if you want to let us know your own predictions for the match.