West Indies vs Pakistan Brighto Paints presents Q Mobile ODI Series…
– New Providence pitch produces 617 runs
By Akeem Greene
When Ashley Nurse drove Wahab Riaz to deep point and scampered the two runs required by West Indies to clinch a fascinating four-wicket over Pakistan at Providence, himself and Jason Mohammed were mobbed by teammates as the sound system began blasting David Rudder’s ‘Rally Round the West Indies song’ while the thousands in the stands began the celebration.
Photo by WICB Media/Randy Brooks of Brooks Latouche Photography
The victory on Friday gave the hosts first blood in the three-match One Day International series and some confidence to push for a series win and international ranking points to their automatic world cup 2019 bid.
The historic victory was orchestrated by a brilliant career best and unbeaten 91 from 58 balls by Jason Mohammed which helped the Caribbean side for the second time in history successfully chase a score of 300 plus and this time to record the highest total at the venue since its inception in 2007.
Mohammed’s masterpiece began when he walked to the middle with the West Indies steering down the barrel again at 156-3 in the 33rd still 153 runs away from a rare victory. However, the Trinidadian held the innings together with some vital partnerships, none most influential that the unbroken 50-run stand for the seventh wicket with Nurse which came off just 28 balls to seal the win in fading light on an otherwise bright day in Guyana.
The right-handed batsman who scored his third 50-plus score in four matches took toll on the daunting Pakistan bowling unit, smashing 11 fours and three maximums while Nurse who took four wickets earlier in the day hit five four and one six in his 15-ball 34.
Chadwick Walton (07) got the innings going with a sumptuous drive through cover off the bowling of Mohammed Amir while at the other end the destructive Evin Lewis took Hasan Ali for consecutive boundaries.
What looked to be a promising stand, soon came to an end when Walton lofted the ball into the hands of Wahab Riaz at mid-off, falling for seven and the team 23-1.
Keiran Powell and Lewis, batted smartly, returning some of the pressure to Pakistan with a stable 68-run stand for the second wicket despite soaking up 107 deliveries. Lewis continued to look a serious threat, consistently clearing the ropes. He seemed to overconfident, as after swatting the off-spin of Shoaib Malik into the middle of the south west stand, next ball he attempted a cut shot and his stumps disturbed for a well-played 47 (3x4s;2x6s).
Powell and Shai Hope then then took up the mantle in guiding the men in maroon towards the challenging total with a solid 65-run stand for the third wicket. The left-lander who seemed not to have his usual fluency began opening his shoulders to reach his eight ODI half-century, and his first since his return to international cricket in February.
Riaz’s second spell immediately paid virtue as he deceived Powell with a slower-ball and West Indies were now 156-3; his 61 came off 85 balls and included five fours.
That set the stage for the beginning of the Mohammed show, as for brief moment it seem to be a highlights package, with batsman swatting the Pakistani bowlers to all corners of the venue. His control and decisive batting was shown particular with 70-run partnership with Jonathon Carter (14) for the 5th wicket which set the tone for the late order rally by the men in maroon; Mohammad Amir (2-59) and Shadab Khan (2-52) claimed two wickets apiece
Earlier, Jason Holder won the toss and opted to bowl on the re-laid pitch, which had an appreciable amount of bounce and carry but new ball bowlers Alazari Joseph and Shannon Gabriel strayed in line and lengths and were dealt with.
The first four came when Kamran Akmal played an exquisite square drive right out of the top drawer off the bowling off Gabriel.
While himself and opening partner Ahmed Shehzad were guilty of not rotating the strike often enough they managed to find the boundaries on a consistent basis.
Akamal in particular was severe on Gabriel, dispatching him over the deep mid-wicket boundary for six, with an imperious pull.
An opportunity came for an early breakthrough in the third over but Ashley Nurse floored Shehzad the high chance jumping at second slip off the bowing of pacey Joseph.
The introduction of part-time off-spinner Jason Mohammed with Pakistan 28 without loss in the sixth over seemed to be strange decision since it allowed the opening to become even more forceful with their scoring.
Akamal continued his aggression, smashing a flighted Mohammed delivery into the players’ pavilion end sight screen and the right-hander was beginning to look in ominous form.
The 50-run partnership was achieved in the ninth over when Shehzad flicked the erratic Joseph behind square for four; at the end of ten overs the score had progressed to 59.
The 85-run stand was broken in the 15th over when Akamal hit a short and wide delivery to Walton at cover, falling for 48-ball 47 (5x4s;3x6s).
New batsman Mohammed Hafeez and Shehzad kept the momentum with Pakistan due to constant rotation of the strike and constant. Shehzad reached his 14th ODI half-century with thick edge pass diving wicket keeper Hope. The right-hander had faced 68 balls for his landmark, stroking six fours and the men in green had progressed to 122-1 in the 23rd over.
Frustration began stepping in for Shehzad as he attempted a heave over mid-wicket but swung far too early and was bowled by Nurse for 67, which brought the end to the
Barbar Azam who, was came lower than his usual number three position failed to showcase the imperious form he did when these two sides played in the United Arab Emirates last year, where he scored three consecutive centuries.
Azam fell for 13, when he swept Nurse to Joseph at square leg, reducing his team to 177-3 in the 36th over.
Hafeez reached his 30th half-century in the format, with an elegant late-cut late through backward point off the bowling Nurse. Next ball he steered the bowler through third-man for four and two balls later foxed downed the track, hitting him over long-off; his fifty took 67 balls, inclusive of two fours and one six.
Shoaib Malik and Hafeez began showing more intent and the home side had a chance to send Malik back in the hut however, Gabriel floored simple chance at chest height; at that point Pakistan were 204-3 in the 40th over.
As if Holder did not had enough injustice done off his bowling due to the drop catch, Malik in the same over lofted him over mid-on for six. From there on, there a nearly a boundary every over until Hafeez fell for 88 (6x4s; 3x6s) in the 46th; the duo had added 89 runs in 9.2 overs.
The right-handed Malik then went into over-drive, slicing the medium-pace of Holder over short third-man for four, then disdainfully pulling him through mid-wicket, after which he clubbed a full toss into the south east stand.
The party ended for the batsman when one of his slogs reached into the hands the long-off field but his 38-ball 53 (6x4s; 2x6s) helped Pakistan reach 284-5 in the 48th over after which Captain Safraz Ahemd (20*) and Imad Wasim (6*) took them the eventual total with just five down.
Two teams will now return to the venue on Sunday where a capacity is crowd is expected.
With automatic qualification for the ICC World Cup set at eight teams, the win represents a boost for West Indies – currently ranked in ninth place.
If the West Indies win all three ODIs, they will leapfrog their visitors to eighth position less than six months before the September 30 cut-off date for automatic World Cup qualification.
