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Game 5: Pakistan versus West Indies, October 29, 1998

West Indies: BC Lara, KLT Arthurton, S Chanderpaul, M Dillon, CL Hooper, RD Jacobs, CB Lambert, RN Lewis, NAM McLean, NC McGarrell, PV Simmons, PA Wallace, SC Williams, RD King.

Pakistan: Aamir Sohail, Saeed Anwar, Shahid Afridi, Ijaz Ahmad, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Salim Malik, Yousuf Yohanna, Azhar Mahmood, Wasim Akram, Moin Khan, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Akram, Saqlain Mushtaq, Arshad Khan.

First up, the above squad is, according to the Pakistan Cricket Board, "provisional". Makes you wonder what the heck is going on there. The selectors apparently were asked to submit a team list by mid-October, but argued that they wanted to see how the players did during the ongoing three-Test series against Australia (Test three is into day two as I write this).

Now why selectors want to closely monitor three Test performances to pick a one day squad beats me -- in fact, it has an almost Lele-esque air to it. But ours not to reason why -- so, based on the 'provisional' squad (in any case, I can't see too many key changes, can you?), a 'provisional' preview follows.

If Courtney Walsh and Curtley Ambrose formed part of the Windies lineup, I would put my money outright on the Caribbeans to take this game. As things stand, though, this could be the closest one of the five preliminary encounters, the hardest one to call with any certainity.

The Caribbean side could be rusty, while Pakistan, playing this third Test right through to December 26, is as match-fit as it is possible to get.

Pakistan's opening bowling, with Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akthar supported by Azhar Mahmood, has a more lethal air to it than the West Indian combo missing the hugely experienced Walsh-Ambrose combo. And Saqlain Mushtaq's off spin is a trump against a Caribbean batting lineup that has more than its due share of left-handers.

On the other hand, Pakistan has been playing three back to back Tests -- in fact, it travels to Dhaka the morning after playing its third -- and could find itself fractionally off gear when it comes to re-adapting to the one-day format. And given the knockout nature of this tournament, even a fractional delay in adapting could prove fatal to its chances.

Secondly, Pakistan definitely rate below the Windies when it comes to fielding, and that is going to be a crucial factor in this tournament. When it comes to running between wickets -- again, a key component in a tournament that should see scores on the lower side -- Pakistan is not exactly the highest ranked side in the world.

Another huge factor could be that Shahid Afridi, on whom Pakistan will depend for an explosive start, will not find in Dhaka the conditions conducive to his brand of strokeplay. A more interesting option for Pakistan would be to open with Sohail and Anwar, holding Afridi back for a go in the latter stages.

Lara, Chanderpaul and Hooper with Arthurton and Simmons in support, facing Akram, Akthar, Mahmood, Saqlain and Afridi -- that's where the battle is going to be won, and lost. If the batsmen can put up enough runs, then the relative inexperience of the Caribbean bowling won't prove too costly.

This, in fact, is one game where the odds are so evenly balanced that the winning of the toss could make all the difference. Put it this way -- I'd back the team batting first, here, to take the game.

But just for fun, let's stick our neck out, here -- I'll put my money on the West Indies, to go through into the semis.

With which, the preliminary matches end and the semifinals begin. The corresponding preview, of the final phase of the competition, will be up on our site on October 29.

Meanwhile, one thing is for certain -- this tournament will have more than its fair share of upsets, thrills and such. Stay tuned.

• Game 1: New Zealand versus Zimbabwe, October 24, 1998
• Game 2: England versus South Africa, October 25, 1998
• Game 3: Sri Lanka versus winner of New Zealand versus Zimbabwe , October 26, 1998
• Game 4: India versus Australia, October 28, 1998
• Knock, knock, who's out?