Daily Times

SHARJAH: Talented Babar Azam hammered his second successive ton as Pakistan downed West Indies by 59 runs in the second one-day international here Sunday night to gain an unbeatable 2-0 lead in a three-match series. Babar’s brilliant 126-ball 123 was the highlight Pakistan’s formidable total of 337 for the loss of 5 wickets, which also featured half-centuries from Shoaib Malik (90) and Sarfraz Ahmed (60). Pakistan followed up their 3-0 T20I series win by sealing the ODI series with yet another clinical display against West Indies. Pakistan’s brilliant performance was set up by their most and least experienced batsmen – Shoaib and Babar — who combined to display the art of batting through the middle overs on a slow surface to lead them to their third-highest total in Sharjah. Babar and Shoaib strung together 169, Pakistan’s highest stand for the third wicket against West Indies. Shoaib was also ruthless as he reached his 38th half-century off 55 balls before hitting three successive sixes off left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn, one went out of the Sharjah Stadium.

In reply, West Indies could muster only 278 for the loss of 7 scalps from their 50 overs with Darren Bravo hitting 61 and Marlon Samuels scoring 57. The third and final match will be in played Abu Dhabi on Wednesday (tomorrow).

West Indies needed to improve on their best chase of 285 against Pakistan which came in 1993 at this same venue, but Pakistan’s varied attack kept them at bay. Bravo added 89 for the second wicket with Kraigg Brathwaite (39) after Johnson Charles was removed for two in the second over by Mohammad Amir. Bravo hit three towering sixes and five boundaries off 74 balls before he was smartly run out by paceman Hasan Ali who knocked over the stumps at the non-striker’s end after the batsman aimed for a quick single. Samuels also tried his best during his 52-ball 57, spiced with four boundaries and two sixes, and added 67 for the fourth wicket with Denesh Ramdin (34) before fiery pace bowler Wahab Riaz (2-48) removed both in successive overs. Kieron Pollard, playing his 100th one-day international, made 22 and Jason Holder, who scored 31 not out, found the going tough as West Indies needed 121 in the last 10 overs and 87 in last five.

“It was a wonderful team effort,” said Pakistan captain Azhar Ali. “We needed a good partnership after losing two early wickets and Azam and Malik gave that to us with pace and wisdom.” West Indian captain Jason Holder rued his team’s bad bowling. “I think we didn’t bowl as well as we would have wanted and in the end 330-plus was too much for us,” said Holder. Earlier, openers Azhar and Sharjeel Khan put West Indies under pressure from the outset after Pakistan opted to bat. Sharjeel used his bottom hand to clear the infield regularly, collecting three fours and a six in his 12-ball 24 before West Indies hit back, removing both batsmen in the space of three balls. Thereafter, Babar and Shoaib stalled West Indies with sound technique and calculated risks.