|
|
Change Your Life! |
Pakistan beats West Indies in first final one-day match |
||
|
News |
April 21, 2000
BRIDGETOWN, APR 20 (AP) - Pakistan beat the West Indies by 17 runs in their first final cricket match Wednesday, halting the home team's winning streak at four in the Cable and Wireless Trophy. Pakistan was led to 197 for eight off 50 overs by vice captain Inzamam-ul-Haq's 66 off 86 balls and man of the match Wasim Akram's rousing, unbeaten 42 off 36 balls toward the end. The West Indies, stalled by Akram and Waqar Younis' new ball burst, were bowled out for 180 off 49.3 overs. Philo Wallace emerged from an unusually quiet start to topscore with 47 off 91 balls. Leg-spinner Shahid Afridi took a career-best three for 16 off 3.3 overs in the crucial final overs. The last two final matches are to be played Saturday and Sunday in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad. Pakistan, batting first on winning the toss for the first time on the tour, was pegged back by disciplined West Indies bowling and sharp ground fielding. Pakistan was quickly undermined by the class of the 36-year-old Ambrose. The Antiguan, in his 174th one-day international, made the early breakthrough by removing the dangerous opener Shahid Afridi for 17 off 23 balls. Afridi had already struck two fours and a six onto the Kensington Stand at midwicket off Reon King when he tried to cut and edged to the wicket-keeper. King struck eight runs later, with Imran Nazir only managing to sky a catch off the topedge to midoff as he tried to pull. Nazir struggled for his 12 off 27 balls. Inzamam and 22-year-old Younis Khan gradually put together a meaningful association, but their 49 was stretched over 18 overs. Khan had compiled 23 off 60 balls with one four when he was sent back by Inzamam, his dive too late to beat Jimmy Adams' return from cover. Yousuf Youhana, who had helped Inzamam add 123 in the final preliminary against the West Indies in Grenada last Sunday, could not repeat the feat. The 25-year-old right-hander made just eight before he was leg before trying to hit King over the top. Captain Moin Khan followed one run later, bowled behind his back by Adams' left-arm spin for a duck. Abdur Razzaq and Inzamam put together 36 off 40 balls but Inzamam's demise started a slump in which three wickets fell for seven runs in 18 balls. Inzamam, who became the 10th batsman in world cricket to pass 7,000 runs when he had scored three, eventually drove a return catch to McLean. The 30-year-old hit seven fours, also crossing 1,000 runs against the West Indies in his topscore. Razzaq was run out for seven, a victim of a magnificent direct hit of the bowler's stumps from a square-on Hinds. Waqar Younis perished first ball, his thin edge off Chris Gayle's off-spin held by wicket-keeper Ridley Jacobs. At 144 for eight, Pakistan were in danger of being swept away. But Wasim Akram, with the cool support of Mushtaq Ahmed, lifted the visitors to their challenging total. The pair put on an unbroken 53 off 49 balls for the ninth wicket, the best stand of the innings. |
