Rain carries West Indies home

Hosts win fourth ODI by one run as Pakistan lead series 3-1.

BRIDGETOWN:

Pakistan cursed the rain gods after West Indies won by one run on the Duckworth-Lewis (D/L) Method to register their first win in the One-Day International (ODI) series.

Mohammad Hafeez’s second ODI hundred was upstaged by constant showers and a blistering 76 from Lendl Simmons that condemned Pakistan to the defeat after they had clinched the series earlier.

Pakistan set a 249-run target but the inclement weather that has dogged this island over the last week interrupted, revised it to 223 from 39 overs.

For the West Indies it ended a run of eight straight ODI defeats by Pakistan and a recent run of six successive defeats against all opposition.

A short ball from Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi was swung high over mid-wicket for six by Dwayne Bravo to formally carry West Indies to 154 for four – the exact total they required – from 29.5 overs under the D/L Method to claim their first victory of the series.

Pakistan lead the five-match series 3-1 with the final ODI to be played tomorrow at the Guyana National Stadium.

Afridi regrets missed chance

Afridi, who rued missing a 5-0 sweep of the ODI series, was satisfied with the bowlers’ performance. “The way Mohammad Hafeez played on a difficult pitch, and Asad Shafiq, I think we should have got 270-275. We missed that chance,” said the all-rounder.

“We didn’t bat that well in the end. The new guys didn’t get a proper chance, didn’t get long enough to bat. But I’m pretty happy with the bowlers.”

Pakistan had stumbled, after Hafeez struck seven fours and three sixes in the top score of 121 from 138 deliveries, and shared a century second-wicket stand with Asad Shafiq to lead the visitors to 248 for nine from their allocation of 50 overs.

He added 153 for the second wicket with Shafiq, whose 71 from 102 balls contained four boundaries, before leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo continued to bowl impressively, taking three for 37 from his allotment of 10 overs to trigger a batting collapse.

But Pakistan lost their way in the last 10 overs, losing seven wickets for 66 runs with Dwayne Bravo taking two for 60 from his 10 overs, Kemar Roach two for 67 from 10 overs, and two run outs helping to undermine them.

Junaid Khan set West Indies back early, when he dismissed makeshift opener Kirk Edwards before Pakistan were put on their heels, when Darren Bravo joined compatriot Simmons.

Tanvir Ahmed was the target for some special treatment from Bravo and Simmons, when they smote three fours and one six from his fourth over.

Khan made the breakthrough, when Bravo was caught at third man for 21, but Ramnaresh Sarwan, making a return to the side for the first time since losing his place following the World Cup, kept the momentum going with 28 in a stand of 75 with Simmons.

Hafeez showed his all-round ability, when he had Sarwan caught at long-off for 28 in the 25th over before Tanvir gained his revenge on Simmons, when the West Indies opener was caught out to leave the home team 135 for four.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 4^th, 2011.