Shadab’s all-round feat helps Pakistan clean sweep West Indies
By our correspondent
MULTAN: Shadab Khan pulled off terrific all-round performance as Pakistan won the three-match ODI series against West Indies 3-0 when they inflicted a 53-run defeat on the visitors in the final game here at the Multan Cricket Stadium.
It was the day of Shadab who proved himself as a useful all-rounder. He struck his career-best 86 to lift Pakistan to 269-9. Shadab then took 4-62 in nine overs as West Indies were folded for 216 in the 38th over.
On a day which saw an unexpected thunder-storm that reduced the game to a 48-over a side, Pakistan had a fine start when Imam-ul-Haq (62) and Fakhar Zaman (35) shared 85 runs for the opening wicket. Nicholas Pooran, not a regular bowler, bowled Fakhar who struck four fours from 48 balls. The strike opened floodgates for the West Indies which took a few more quick wickets to put pressure on the hosts. Walsh Junior trapped Babar Azam (1) in front after a successful West Indies review before Pooran held Imam off his own bowling. Imam smacked seven fours and one six from 68 balls. In the same over, Pooran had Haris (0) and got Rizwan (11) in his next over to reduce Pakistan to 117-5.
However at this stage Khushdil Shah (34) and Shadab made good recovery as the duo shared 84 runs for the sixth wicket stand. It was Akeal Hosein, the spinner, who broke the association by removing Khushdil, who hit three fours from 43 deliveries. Shadab kept scoring runs and found boundaries regularly to help his team reach a good total in the end.
Shadab, who hit his fourth fifty, struck three sixes and four fours in his 78-ball knock. Pooran produced unexpected figures of 4-48 in ten overs while Keemo Paul got 2-57.
West Indies’ response was dented by Shah Nawaz Dahani’s earlier strike when he had the key man Kyle Mayers (5). Hasan Ali then had Shai Hope (21) who hit four fours from 25 balls. In the next over Mohammad Wasim Junior bowled Shamarh Brooks (18) and West Indies were struggling at 52-3. Skipper Nicholas Pooran (11) also failed to play long innings and was undone cheaply by Mohammad Nawaz. Shadab then had Rovman Powell (10) and Keecy Carty (33). Carty struck two fours and one six from 45 balls. When West Indies kept losing wickets regularly Akeal Hosein (60) at this stage with his super batting kept his team’s hopes floating until Shadab removed him, stumped nicely by Haris. He hit six sixes and two fours in his 37-ball cameo. Keemo Paul (21) and Romario Shepherd (16) also made some effort before West Indies were bowled out for 216 in the 38th over.
Hasan (2-29) and Nawaz (2-56) ably backed Shadab who was adjudged as man of the match. Imam-ul-Haq was declared as player of the series for his three successive fifties and so he also made his seventh fifty on the trot in the ODI cricket.