Clinical Pakistan beat West Indies, go 1-0 up

Match Report – 1st ODI: West Indies v Pakistan, Beausejour Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia, April 23, 2011

As predicted, Pakistan breezed past West Indies in the first of the five ODIs without any wobble. First they did not let West Indies post a reasonable total by bowling tightly on a flat surface, and then raced towards the target riding on the half-centuries from Hafeez, Asad and Misbah.

Darren Sammy opted to bat first after winning the toss. Ravi Rampaul and Anthony Martin were replaced by Dwayne Bravo and Kemar Roach. Pakistan gave ODI caps to Mohammad Salman, Junaid Khan and Hammad Azam. West Indies started cautiously against Wahab and Junaid. First wicket fell to Hafeez, who got Devon Smith LBW, with 30 on the board.

Lendl Simmons and Darren Bravo, the pair who had shined in the T20, took the score to 67 in the 20th over, when Simmons was undone by a Saeed Ajmal doosra for a patient 24. Samuels could not get a move on, and his painstaking stay was ended by Salman who ran him out after a terrible mix up. Hundred was brought up by the Windies as late as 31st over, although both Darren Bravo and Kirk Edwards were well set.

Edwards tried to break free from the noose tightened by the spinners, and in doing so he chose to slog-pull Wahab only to see the ball land in the palm of the debutant Hammad. He could not hit a boundary in his 49-ball 28. Bravo brought up his 50 on the 97th ball he faced, but just when he needed to have a move on with his half-brother Dwayne at the other end, he was run out by Shehzad from the deep. He earlier had hit Junaid for a six and a four and had seen the other Bravo fall to Wahab. He made 67 off 109 balls with a four and a six. It was a body blow for West Indies.

West Indies were scoring at just under 4 an over till the last over of batting powerplay, the 47th, when Sammy took on Afridi hitting him for a six and a four. He followed that up with a huge six over midwicket off Wahab and then a crunchy four off the back foot. His late cameo (29* off 17 balls with 3 fours and 2 sixes) lifted West Indies to 221 for 6 after 50 overs. Ajmal was the pick of the bowlers, with 1 for 24 in his 10 overs, while Wahab gave away 62 for his 2 wickets. Surprisingly, Hammad was not bowled at all.

Pakistan came out to chase the modest target with a positive intent. Ahmed Shehzad and Hafeez played some delightful strokes in their opening partnership of 68 at more than 5 an over. Both dominated Windies attack with Hafeez looking to walk away with the match. It all changed when Devendra Bishoo was introduced into the attack.

Bishoo first had Shehzad brilliantly stumped for 22 by Baugh, and then Hafeez, who had brought up his 50 with a six of him, gifted him his wicket by hitting straight to Sammy at midwicket. He made attractive 54 off just 45 balls with 7 fours and a six. From 88 for 2, Asad Shafiq and Misbah-ul-Haq carried Pakistan home without any hiccup in the 42nd over.

Both batsmen negotiated the spin and seam unrestrained, and contributed unbeaten 134 for the 3rd wicket. Misbah remained not out on 73 off 90 balls with 7 fours and a six off Bishoo, while Asad continued to impress with an unbeaten 61 (). Pakistan won comfortably by 8 wickets, Hafeez being the Man of the Match for his all-round performance.

T20 loss proved to be a good wake-up call for Pakistan, as evident from their performance in this match. They were clinical, an attribute which rarely reflects their execution on the field. If they continue the way they have started, West Indies will have to lift their game remarkably well to avoid a white-wash.

Match Result: Pakistan 222/8 in 41.3 overs (Misbah 73, Asad 61; Bishoo 2/42) beat West Indies 221/6 (Darren Bravo 67, Wahab 2/62) by 8 wickets

Man of the match: Mohammad Hafeez

Notable debutant: Hammad Azam