Mon, 25 Apr 2011 - Pakistan vs West Indies, Pakistan Tour of West Indies 2011, 2nd ODI - Bulletin

Shehzad, bowlers star in easy win

Pakistan decision to persist with Ahmad Shehzad despite series of failures finally with the bat finally bore some fruits with young opener hitting a sensible century to guide his to seven wicket win over West Indies. The one-sided win gives Pakistan 2-0 lead over the home side which again failed to put up fight after surrendering to Pakistan in the first ODI.

Shehzad’s century , in no way could be described as flashy but talented opener played well thought out innings marked with better application of mind something he has failed to do in the past.

Pakistan didn’t race to the total of 221 but paced their chase in a calm manner waiting for loose balls to score runs off and concentrating on ones and twos to make a slow but steady progress.

All Pakistan batsmen had a good hit with Shehzad scoring his 2nd ODI hundred that came off 143 balls including seven fours and a solitary six.After combining with Mohammad Hafeez to give Pakistan a solid start, Shehzad partnered Asad to take the ship forward following it up another decent partnership with seasoned campaigner Misbah-ul Haq who had a another not out to his name scoring run a ball 43.

It was a familiar performance with the ball from the home side with leg spinner Devendra Bishoo only one to impress with his talent, variations and more importantly. Like he did in previous ODI, young Bishoo had wickets of both Pakistan openers removing Hafeez in his first spell and getting Shehzad stumped in his last spell but not before opener had taken Pakistan close to the victory. Other West Indies bowlers had nothing to offer looking purposeful and lacking venom to trouble Pakistan batsmen.

For the third time running in ODI’s West Indies batting lineup didn’t have the answers to the Pakistan spinners squandering a good position to get bowled out for under par 220. Such was the domination of spinners over home team that 30 overs of spin bowled by Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Hafeez and Shahid Afridi yielded only 102 runs with all three of them claiming two wickets each.

The only positive in the batting performance was that batsmen showed some content but Pakistan bowlers were good enough to peg back Caribbean side when it looked to in a good position.

All that positive intent came when opener Lendl Simmons was batting who played the most fluent innings of the day. He was the only one among the batters with the strike over 100 and prepared to take came attack to the Pakistan camp.

He hit two massive including a straight one over fast bowler Junaid Khan when batsmen danced down the wicket to deposit one behind sight-screen. His classy and impressive 52 testimony to his immense talent came off just 48 balls cracking before succumbing to a well judged catch at short covers by Umar Akmal off Afridi.

Home side was given early jolt by Hafeez who is turning out to be their nemesis with the ball when he had Devon Smith caught in the crease to have caught plumb infront of wickets for 16. Ajmal whose doosra, it appears, is impossible for Windies batsmen to pick got into the act having Darren Bravo sharply caught in the first slip by Misbah-ul. Ajmal was very difficult to score off giving away only 23 runs in his ten one less than what he conceded in the last match.

In contrary to Simmons, likes of Marlon Samuels, Dirk Edwards, Dwayne Bravo and Carlton Baugh failed to keep up the face as Pakistan bowlers bowled in good areas and tightly to force the errors from the batsmen. Wickets fell on regular intervals giving West Indies no breathing space to plan for a resurrecting mission with left arm pacer Wahab Riaz chipping in with two vital wickets late in the day.

Hammad Azam who wasn’t called on to bowl in the first match finally had a fall today to end Samuels’s painful 74-ball 29 for his first wicket in the ODI cricket.

Pakistan win was the combination of their sensible batting, impressive performance from spin trio and touch helped by inexperienced West Indian batting lineup that just looks to have plenty of problems playing spin bowlers.

With home team lacking a fighting character and intent and Pakistan played purposefully, any comeback from West Indies side in the series is highly unlikely.