Pakistan overwhelm hapless West Indies

Shafiq ushered Pakistan over the finish line with 51 balls remaining when he edged a slog at a delivery from Kemar Roach to third man for a single. The result gave Pakistanis a 1-0 lead in the five-match series, which continues on Monday at the same Beausejour ground.

Wayward bowling from the visitors in the closing overs had let the West Indies finish with 221 for six from their 50 overs. Wahab Riaz was the most successful bowler with two for 62 from 10 overs.

Pakistan’s spin bowling triumvirate of Saeed Ajmal, Hafeez and captain Shahid Afridi tied down the West Indies batsmen in the middle overs.

 “I was very happy when West Indies won the toss and chose to bat because I thought the pitch would help our spinners,” Pakistan captain Afridi said.

Hafeez and Shehzad then gave the visitors a blistering start in an opening stand of 68 before Devendra Bishoo snared both of them in the space of 25 balls to end with two for 48 from his 10 overs.

Shehzad moving down the pitch was stumped for 22 in the 13th over off the leg-spinner, and Hafeez, whose 50 came off 48 balls, was caught at short mid-wicket in the 17th over off the same bowler.

Misbah joined Shafiq and they guided Pakistan to victory with an unbroken third-wicket stand of 134, a record for any wicket on the ground.

“We put ourselves in a hole when we were batting, and the spinners were bowling, so we really have to come better in the next game,” said West Indies captain Darren Sammy.

 Scoreboard

WESt INDIES
Simmons c Salman b Ajmal    24
Smith lbw Hafeez    17
Darren Bravo (run out)    67
Samuelsâ(run out)    2
Edwards c Junaid b Wahab    28
Dwayne Bravo c Afridi b Wahab    14
Sammyâ(not out)    29
Baughâ(not out)    10
Extras (LB-10, W-17, NB-3)    30
Total (for 6 wkts, 50 overs)    221
Fall of wickets:â1-30, 2-67, 3-77, 4-136, 5-174, 6-177.
Bowling: Wahab 10-0-62-2, Junaid 10-0-49-0, Hafeez 10-2-36-1, Ajmal 10-2-24-1, Afridi 10-1-40-0.
PAKISTAN
Hafeez c Sammy b Bishoo    54
Shehzad st Baugh b Bishoo    22
Shafiq (not out)    61
Misbah (not out)    73
Extras (W-11, NB-1)    12
Total (for 2 wkts; 41.3 overs)    222
Fall of wickets: 1-68, 2-88
Bowling: Roach 9.3-0-58-0, Sammy 7-1-32-0, Russell 5-1-36-0, Bravo 8-1-36-0, Bishoo 10-0-48-2, Smith 2-0-12-0.