http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760 beat Pakistan by seven runs in Twenty20: Match Recap and Analysis
West Indies have finally avenged their quarter-final defeat in the recently concluded ICC World Cup 2011 at the hands of Pakistan, after defeating them by seven runs in the first ever Twenty20 match between the two teams at the Beausejour Stadium, Gros Islet,
St Lucia yesterday.
After winning the toss, the West Indies skipper, Darren Sammy, elected to bat first keeping in mind that http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 are not the best of chasers, even though it was Pakistan that beat them in the first knock-out stage of the World Cup while batting second.
Nonetheless, this time the Windies were playing in their own backyard and Sammy did not want to take any chances bowling first, which would have given the Pakistan bowlers a clear target to defend.
Pakistan gave their young bowler Junaid Khan his first chance in this match and the youngster did not let anyone down as he bowled a splendid first over. The Afridi XI struck early as the left-arm spinner, Abdur Rehman, dismissed opener Andre Fletcher in
the second over of the innings by trapping him right in front of the stumps. He was consequently adjudged leg-before wicket (lbw) after scoring just a run.
It was then opener Lendl Simmons and Darren Bravo who took control of the situation and frustrated the Pakistan bowlers by displaying some superb stroke playing all around the park. Simmons especially let loose against the Pakistan bowlers as he went after
the newbie Junaid http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Khan-c71319, hitting him for 10 runs on the first two deliveries of the youngster’s second over. This was a confidence shattering experience for the lad which forced him to come around the wicket to bowl against the belligerent Simmons.
Things clearly slipped out of Pakistan’s hands as the two West Indians clobbered every single bowler who had a go at them. Afridi was clearly running out of ideas at this juncture of the game. It was in the 13th over when Abdur Rehman finally
managed to break the deadly partnership as Bravo gave a catch to Umar Akmal at long-on. Bravo was dismissed after scoring 42 runs off 33 deliveries. His innings included four boundaries and two sixes. At the end of Rehman’s over, West Indies was 106/2 with
a scoring rate of 8.15 runs an over.
Simmons, who looked well settled, got himself run out on a magnificent through by Wahab Riaz which landed straight in the gloves of wicketkeeper Mohammad http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Salman-c88163, who removed the bails in no time. The opener lost his wicket after scoring 65 runs off 44 deliveries.
His innings included seven boundaries and two sixes. After bagging three wickets Pakistan were clearly creeping back into the match.
It was then Saeed Ajmal’s turn to shine as he rarely gets an opportunity to play for Pakistan alongside Rehman. Marlon Samuels failed to read the “doosra” by Ajmal as he completely missed the delivery and was stumped by Salman who looked sharp behind the
stumps. Samuels scored just four runs after facing 12 deliveries.
Sammy, after scoring just a run, was next to go as he was caught behind by Salman off a delivery by Wahab Riaz. Saeed Ajmal then removed Danza Hyatt with a doosra again. He had scored 14 runs. At the end of the innings the WI managed to put a formidable
total of 150 runs on the board.
Chasing this total should have been an easy task on a batsmen friendly pitch. Nonetheless, Pakistan yet again proved a point that they desperately need a batting coach as the Men in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Green-c60723 kept loosing wickets on regular intervals.
Pakistan’s in-form opener, Mohammad Hafeez, was caught by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ashley-Nurse-c46329 off a delivery by Sammy. The batsman scored only three runs after facing four deliveries. His opening partner, Ahmed Shehzad, continued his miserable run with the bat as he failed to
play a long innings yet again and lost his wicket after scoring 12 runs.
Pakistan’s young middle-order batsmen Asad http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shafiq-c89281 and Umar Akmal were again put to test as it was up to them to stabilise the batting line-up. The two youngsters, who were playing in the West Indies for the first time, tried to show their best. However,
Akmal clearly looked uncomfortable in the beginning as he failed to time most of his deliveries.
On the other hand Shafiq displayed some fine strokes but his innings were short lived as he was removed by Devendra Bishoo after playing an innings of 25 runs off 17 deliveries.
A surprise move to include http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Misbah-ul-Haq-c1972 in the Twenty20 squad did not pay off as he was adjudged hit-wicket out when his heels hit the wickets while he tried to play a back-foot shot off Bisho.
Skipper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-Afridi-c2482 also looked rusty as he failed to clobber the WI bowling brigade, he departed after making 12 runs off 10 deliveries. Akmal was the only batsman who stood his ground against the Windies as he scored 41 runs becoming the highest scorer
for his side. He lost his wicket as he tried to hit Samuels out of the park and the shot landed straight in the hands of Ravi Rampaul in the deep.
Saeed Ajmal gave a last ditch effort but it was already too late for Pakistan as the tourists finished their innings on 143 runs.
Bishoo was named as the Man of the Match for taking four wickets in four overs after conceding 17 runs.
With this victory West Indies cricket has shown that they are on the right track and the introduction of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/A-Young-c41367 squad which had five debutants was the correct decision. The tour is far from over though. The teams will face each other in a five-match One-Day
series from April 23, which will be a testing situation for players from both the teams.
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