– Azam, Ali star as West Indies slump to 74-run loss
A masterful Babar Azam century followed by a typical batting collapse by West Indies meant Pakistan levelled the three-match series via a comprehensive 74-run victory at the National Stadium, Providence, on Sunday.
Azam returned to his favoured number three position to compile a career-best unbeaten 125 leading his side to 282-3, which was followed by a clinical bowling performance led by medium pacer Hasan Ali, who took 5 for 38.
The batting performance by the men in maroon mirrored that of numerous matches in the past as the sensational win on Friday was a bit of false hope as they slipped to 75-6 in the 18th over before being bundled out for 208 in 44.5 overs.
Jason Holder (68) and Ashley Nurse (44) gave the crowd – a large, expectant audience – something to cheer for with a breezy 58-run partnership for the seventh wicket.
West Indies wilted early despite beginning the chase with attacking intent. That purposefulness came at the cost of early wickets, with both openers back in the pavilion by the fifth over.
Chadwick Walton (10) and Shai Hope (15) both gave simple catches after poor shot selection, while Evin Lewis (13), Kieran Powell (11) and Jonathan Carter (12) were all trapped in front.
Captain Holder displayed his competitive spirit with a fighting half-century, his combination of sweet timing and incredible power making batting look a lot easier than it had seemed when those higher up the order had been in the middle.
Babar Azam’s 125 was simply a touch of class and determination (Marceano Narine photo)
He gave Shadab Khan the respect he has indisputably earned with his performances over the last fortnight, but was at times disdainful of Pakistan’s storied pace bowling attack, never more so than when he dispatched Mohammad Amir for 16 in an over, smashing one six and two fours.
Alzarri Joseph (15) and Holder gave some fans hope of another miraculous victory with a counter-attaching 52-run ninth-wicket partnership, but that wilted when Joseph lofted a catch to Azam at mid-on.
Hasan Ali kisses the pitch as he took the final wicket of the match to end with career-best figures of 5 for 38
Earlier, openers Kamran Akaml (21) and Ahemd Shezad (5) lacked the fluency of the previous match as new ball bowlers Shannon Gabriel (2-50) and Holder bowled with greater consistency. Mohammed Hafeez, who made a 92-ball 88 two days ago, laboured at the crease for 32 from 50 balls.
However, Azam, who stroked seven fours and three sixes, held the innings together when it threatened to disintegrate, and provided the late fireworks when it looked like it might stagnate.
The total had seemed well out of Pakistan’s reach until the last seven overs – in which 84 runs were scored via smart batting by Azam, along with Imad Wasim, who made a 35-ball 43 (2x4s;2x6s), and Captain Sarfraz Ahmed with a run-a-ball 26 (3x4s) .
It was telling that West Indies’ worst spell of bowling came about just as Azam and Wasim finally began to swing freely which saw five of Pakistan’s six sixes come off the last three overs – two off the hapless medium pace of Jonathon Carter in a 50th over that cost 19 runs.
