Pakistan Claim ODI Series Win

Mohammad Irfan (second right) is congratulated by team-mates after taking a wicket WICB Media Photo / Randy Brooks

Pakistan 243-6 (Ahmed Shehzad 64) beat
West Indies 242-7 by four wickets
Fifth One-Day International, Saint Lucia
Scorecard

Pakistan won the fifth and final One-Day International against the West Indies by four wickets with two balls remaining to take a 3-1 series victory.

In another closely-fought match, Pakistan reached 243 for six in the final over after the home side had posted 242 for seven.

A late blast of 48 in 27 balls from West Indies captain Dwayne Bravo was the best the hosts could muster before half-centuries from Misbah-ul-Haq (63) and Ahmed Shehzad (64) set Pakistan on course for the win.

However, the late dismissals of Misbah and Umar Akmal (37) threatened to undermine their chase until Shahid Afridi, unbeaten on 13, and Saeed Ajmal, on one, saw them home.

Pakistan elected to field first and Junaid Khan (3-48) struck quickly to remove Devon Smith (7) and Darren Bravo (9) before Johnson Charles' 43 and Marlon Samuels' 45 helped launch the recovery.

It was slow going, however, Charles occupying the crease for 71 deliveries and Samuels taking 89 balls. Mohammad Irfan removed both and West Indies launched the charge through Chris Gayle (21), Lendl Simmons (25) and Bravo, who hit five fours and three sixes.

Darren Sammy smacked 29 not out in 18 balls as Ajmal also returned two wickets by removing Simmons and Bravo.

Pakistan openers Nasir Jamshed, who made 23, and Shehzad, whose 64 came from 100 balls, then put on 51 together before Jamshed was run out by Gayle and Mohammad Hafeez's poor series ended when he was caught by Simmons off Sammy for 11 in 22 balls.

Misbah and Shehzad then put on 69 for the third wicket to take the score to 123, when Shehzad dismissed by Tino Best.

Haris Sohail made a fluent 17 in 22 balls but when he departed, caught by Simmons as Best struck again to return three for 48, the match - like most in the series - could have gone either way.

Misbah then formed a crucial partnership with Akmal which turned the game in Pakistan's favour. The former stroked 63 in 93 deliveries while Akmal hurried to 37 in 28, exiting in the 48th over when he skied an attempted pull off Best and was caught by Kemar Roach.

That left Misbah with the job of shepherding Pakistan to the finish line but he couldn't quite stay to finish off the job, caught by captain Bravo off Jason Holder with the scores level, leaving Afridi and Ajmal to complete the formalities in the final over.

© Cricket World 2013

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