West Indies vs Pakistan, Brighto Paints presents Q Mobile ODI Series…
By Akeem Greene
The first ball of Jason Holder’s 44th went back over his head for a towering six that completed a much deserved century for Shoaib Malik but most importantly the clinical 2-1 series victory for Pakistan over a dispirited West Indies in the three-match One-Day Internationals (ODI) at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence on Tuesday.
Set a below-par target of 234, the visitors sauntered home with 41 balls remaining as Man-of-the Match and Man-of-the Series, Malik anchored the innings with a masterful 101 not out while Mohammad Hafeez supported with an attractive 81 (8x4s;2x6s).
The critical series decider was an anti-climax to the excitement expected as West Indies could only muster 233-9 on a good batting surface then watched almost helplessly as the visitors with two match defining middle-order partnerships steal the series. The defeat meant that West Indies remain winless in a bi-lateral series against Pakistan since 1991.
Pakistan’s top-order was rocked by fiery opening spell by Shannon Gabriel (2-60) who dismissed Kamran Akmal with the first delivery via a leading-edge then in his next over of sheer pace he almost had his second victim but Chadwick Walton floored Ahmed Shehzad before he got off the mark with what should have been a regulation catch a mid-on.
Holder then sent Shehzad back in the hut thanks to an athletic take by wicketkeeper Shai Hope who flung himself full length to glove the white ball with his right hand. Gabriel who continued to work up some serious pace then scatter the woodwork to send back danger man Babar Azam to leave the visitors tottering at 36 for 3 in the ninth over and West Indies in the middle of a fight back.
In close to an identical situation West Indies were placed in earlier, Hafeez and Malik undertook operation restoration to help guide Pakistan to safety.
The pair then fashioned a 113-run stand for the fourth wicket from 21.1 overs, Hafeez added the lion’s share before he fell via good running catch by Veerasammy Permaul who played his first ODI since November 2015. It was a historic occasion as it was the first time that the Albion and Guyana ‘spin-twins’ played in the same international match.
Malik’s ninth ODI ton engrossed the attention of the sizable crowd with 111 delivers of which he stroked ten fours and two sixes.
After Hafeez’s demise, Sarfraz Ahmed who won his first ODI series since being appointed full time captain earlier this year, withered any thoughts of West Indies revival with breezy 87-run stand for the fifth wicket.
Earlier, the home-side’s innings which was delayed due to rain got off to a promising start with Evin Lewis picking the gaps but eventually fell to a miscued pull. At the other end, Chadwick Walton who is having a torrid scratched to 19, his best innings of the series and the best of his short career before he played on to Hasan Ali, leaving the team in a spot of bother at 40 for 2 in the ninth over.
Keiran Powell who offered Akmal a simple chance on 23 in the 19th over was next to go when he uncharacteristically took a stroll down track to be stumped off the bowling of Imad Wasim, with a delivery that beat the left-hander between bat and pad.
(Marceano Narine photo)
The introduction of leg-spinner Shadab Khan in the 26th brought ten runs and it also signalled the beginning of more fluency from the grafting fourth wicket stand between Hope and Jason Mohammed.
Mohammed, who was the hero in the first match, hinted that another sensational innings could be on the cards when he disdainfully pulled Hasan Ali for six over the deep mid-wicket.
The right-hander moved out of first gear, as he began finding the ropes on a consistent basis, his heart would have been in his mouth when Malik failed to stay within the playing area after taking a running catch.
Mohammed motored along to reach his fourth half-century in sixth matches from 58 balls, hitting three fours and two sixes, while Hope reached his landmark after facing 97 delivers, striking just one four.
The partnership which began in the 19th over with their side tottering at 68-3, finally came to an end when Mohammed feathered one behind to fall for 59 (5x4s; 2x6s); the pair had added 101 in 21.5 overs.
Hope eventually perished for 71 (1×4; 2x6s) which paved the way for Jonathon Carter (11) and Holder (12) to smash a six each which was not enough.
After the 40th over the West indies were placed at 161 for 3 and only managed to score 72 runs in the last ten while losing six wickets with Mohammed Amir (2-41), Shadab Khan (2-57) and Junaid Khan (2-60) showing their class in the ‘death-overs.’
Pakistan won the T20 series 3-1 and will now their attention to the three-match Test series beginning on April 21 at Sabina Park, Jamaica.
After the Test series, West Indies take on the touring Afghanistan in June in three T20Is and three ODIs followed by a trip to England before the crucial September 30 cut-off date to be ranked eighth or better for automatic qualification for the 2019 World Cup. West Indies are currently ranked ninth, one place below Pakistan.
