Pakistan v West Indies, 1st ODI, Review: Babar Azam, Mohammad Nawaz hand Windies heavy loss

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Pakistan's players celebrate after bowling out West Indies' batsman Johnson Charles (L) during the 1st ODI match between Pakistan and West Indies at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, on September 30, 2016. / AFP / KARIM SAHIB (Photo credit should read KARIM SAHIB/AFP/Getty Images)
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Pakistan’s players celebrate after bowling out West Indies’ batsman Johnson Charles (L) during the 1st ODI match between Pakistan and West Indies at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, on September 30, 2016. / AFP / KARIM SAHIB (Photo credit should read KARIM SAHIB/AFP/Getty Images)

Youngster Babar Azam and left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz gave dominant performances to guide Pakistan to a huge 111 runs win over West Indies in the 1st ODI of the three-match series at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

The 21-year-old Azam, one of the young men on whom Mickey Arthur showed trust, was the star performer for Pakistan today. The youngster did not let the opportunity go waste and enhanced his goodwill with his maiden ODI hundred.

He arrived after the first ball of the match and batted extraordinarily till the 43rd over of the match to smack 120 for 131 balls. Eventually, it took a stunning hopping catch from Kieron Pollard at the edge of the wide long-on boundary to dismiss him.

Azam’ century was supported by Sharjeel Khan’s half-century, and late blows from Imad Wasim and Mohammad Nawaz took Pakistan to 284 for 9 in a match reduced to 49 overs a side because of a floodlight failure. The flood Light failure led brought Duckworth-Lewis into play and West Indies were asked to chase a revised target of 287 runs to win.

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West Indies struck with their first ball after electing to field first when Shannon Gabriel had Azhar Ali caught behind, making him depart for a golden duck. Then walked in Azam around whom the whole Pakistani innings revolved.

Azam first added 82 for the second wicket with Sharjeel, then 99 for the fourth with Sarfraz Ahmed to keep Pakistan ahead of the Windies.

Sharjeel Khan took care of the scoring rate initially with Azam playing second fiddle to him. The stand ensured a good start after the early loss of Ali. West Indies made a short comeback when Sulieman Benn  snapped Sharjeel to break the stand. Shoaib Malik’s failure to stay at the crease with Azam helped Windies stage a small comeback before Sarfraz Ahmed and Azam took Pakistan to safety.  With their 4th wicket stand.

Azam was by no well-set and had begun to flourish, finding fence more often. Sarfraz Ahmed did the job of rotating the strike. However, Jason Holder halted the duo’s progress and broke the stand with the wicket of Sarfraz.  Azam, who had just entered his nineties at that time, switched to top gear and blazed away to his maiden international century. Azam’s stay, however, soon ended, courtesy to Kieron Pollard acrobatic effort o the boundary ropes.

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An over after Azam wicket fell, a floodlight failure then paused play for over an hour. When it resumed, Pakistan lost wickets and stuttered to 284 for 9. They could manage only 24 for 3 in 4.3 overs upon resumption

Mohammad Amir rocked West Indies’ chase of a revised 287 with the wicket of Johnson Charles in the eighth over. Debutant Kraigg Brathwaite hung around nervously until he nicked Hasan Ali to the keeper to leave West Indies on 41 for 2.

The asking rate was already escalating and West Indies suffered more damage looking to attack the spinners. Left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz broke the middle order. The only considerable stand which took place in was the 4th wicket stand of 35 runs between Denesh Ramdin and Marlon Samuels.

Nawaz first added Bravo and then broke the 4th wicket stand with the wicket of Ramdin. He went on to claim two more big wickets in the form of Kieron Pollard and Carlos Brathwaite to finish with figures of 4 for 42.

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While spinners crippled West Indies, fast bowlers Wahab Riaz and Hasan Ali rattled the lower order in a hostile spell of fast bowling to fold up West Indies for just 175 runs. Sunil Narine (23) and Sulieman Benn (16*) played short cameos in the end but that could only delay the loss.

Brief Scores:

Pakistan: 284/9 in 49 overs (Babar Azam 120; C Brathwaite 3/54)

West Indies: 175 38.4 overs, revised target – 287 (M Samuels 46; Hasan Ali 46)

Man of the Match: Babar Azam

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