Pakistan beat West Indies after fightback

Pakistan's batsmen fought back from a faltering start to beat West Indies by four wickets in the first of three one-day matches on Thursday.

Rashid Latif (47) and all-rounder Abdur Razzaq (46 not out) chipped in with useful middle-order contributions as Pakistan reached 193 for six in 46.1 overs after they had been reduced to 15 for three in the eighth over.

Earlier West Indies were bowled out for a modest 190 in 48.3 overs, with opener Chris Gayle hitting a brisk 50 off 53 balls and skipper Carl Hooper making a patient 45 off 81.

Pakistan's innings began unpromisingly when Naveed Latif was caught behind for no score off the second ball of the innings, bowled by paceman Mervyn Dillon, and Younis Khan ran himself out in the next over for one.

Inzamam-ul-Haq made one run in 19 balls before he pulled a Cameron Cuffy delivery straight to Daren Ganga at mid-wicket to leave Pakistan reeling at 15 for three.

Shahid Afridi (35) and Yousuf Youhana (39) then shared in a fourth-wicket stand of 47 before Afridi fell in the 22nd over, hooking Darel Brown to Corey Collimore at deep mid-wicket.

Youhana and Latif maintained the momentum as they added a further 48 for the fifth wicket and, although both batsmen were removed by Hooper's off-spin, Pakistan were by then firnly on course for victory.

PROMISING START

After electing to bat, West Indies made a promising start despite the early loss of opening batsman Daren Ganga (15), who was out hit-wicket off the bowling of Waqar Younis.

Gayle and Wavell Hinds had taken the score to 56 for the loss of one wicket by the 12th over when Shoaib Akhtar struck with his second ball to remove Hinds for 14, the batsman hitting straight to Younis Khan at point.

But, with Gayle in fine form, the West Indies raced to 97 off 18 overs before all-rounder Razzaq returned to take two wickets in three deliveries.

The medium pacer bowled Gayle soon after he had completed his half-century and then had Shivnarine Chanderpaul caught by Shahid Afridi for a duck.

With the West Indies tottering at 97 for four, Hooper and Ridley Jacobs attempted to steady the ship but, in doing so, the runs dried up.

They did feature in a 44-run partnership for the sixth wicket before the Caribbean side lost their last five wickets for just 29 runs, with off-spinner Saqlain Musthaq taking two for 28 runs.

Mail Cricket Editor