Babar Azam's 123 anchors Pakistan's series win
SHARJAH (92 News) – Fast-rising Babar Azam cracked a second successive hundred to guide Pakistan to a dominant 59-run win over the West Indies in the second one-day international in Sharjah, gaining an unbeatable 2-0 lead in three-match series.
Bating first, Pakistan set a victory target of 338 in the stipulated fifty overs for the loss of five wickets. Pakistan's Babar Azam, who scored 123 runs, was declared player of the match.
In reply, West Indies could score 278 for the loss of seven wickets.
"It was a wonderful team effort," said Pakistan captain Azhar Ali. "We needed a good partnership after losing two early wickets and Azam and Malik gave that to us with pace and wisdom."
West Indian captain Jason Holder rued his team's bad bowling. "I think we didn't bowl as well as we would have wanted and in the end 330-plus was too much for us," said Holder.
West Indies needed to improve on their best chase of 285 against Pakistan which came in 1993 at this same venue, but Pakistan's varied attack kept them at bay. Bravo added 89 for the second wicket with Kraigg Brathwaite (39) after Johnson Charles was removed for two in the second over by Mohammad Amir.
Earlier Azam anchored Pakistan's highest one-day total against the West Indies, beating the 307-8 they made at Perth nine years ago. Azam added 169 for the third wicket with Malik who missed his ninth one-day hundred by 10 runs, scoring an attractive 84-ball 90 with six hits over the fence and three boundaries.
It was another dominating batting display by Pakistan, with Azam and Malik shredding the West Indian bowling at will, and Sarfraz Ahmed finishing it with 47-ball 60 not out.
SCOREBOARD
Pakistan Innings Az. Ali lbw b Holder 9 Sh. Khan c Holder b Joseph 24 B. Azam c C. Brathwaite b Joseph 123 S. Malik c Da. Bravo b Narine 90 S. Ahmed not out 60 I. Wasim b Holder 11 M. Rizwan not out 6 Extras (lb-2 w-12) 14 Total (for 5 wickets, 50 overs) 337 Fall of wickets: 1-40 Az. Ali,2-40 Sh. Khan,3-209 S. Malik,4-282 B. Azam,5-320 I. Wasim Did not bat: M. Nawaz, W. Riaz, M. Amir, H. Ali Bowling J. Holder 8 - 1 - 51 - 2(w-1) A. Joseph 10 - 0 - 62 - 2(w-6) C. Brathwaite 8 - 0 - 60 - 0 S. Narine 8 - 0 - 39 - 1(w-1) S. Benn 8 - 0 - 61 - 0 K. Brathwaite 3 - 0 - 18 - 0 K. Pollard 5 - 0 - 44 - 0 West Indies Innings J. Charles c Wasim b Amir 2 K. Brathwaite run out (Nawaz, S. Ahmed) 39 Da. Bravo run out (H. Ali) 61 M. Samuels b Riaz 57 D. Ramdin b Riaz 34 K. Pollard c Malik b Wasim 22 C. Brathwaite run out (Riaz) 14 J. Holder not out 31 S. Narine not out 1 Extras (lb-8 w-9) 17 Total (for 7 wickets, 50 overs) 278 Fall of wickets: 1-3 J. Charles,2-92 K. Brathwaite,3-127 Da. Bravo,4-194 M. Samuels,5-209 D. Ramdin,6-231 C. Brathwaite,7-273 K. Pollard Did not bat: S. Benn, A. Joseph Bowling I. Wasim 10 - 0 - 62 - 1 M. Amir 9 - 0 - 49 - 1(w-2) H. Ali 9 - 0 - 56 - 0(w-1) W. Riaz 10 - 0 - 48 - 2(w-3) S. Malik 5 - 2 - 16 - 0 M. Nawaz 7 - 0 - 39 - 0(w-2) Referees Umpire: Sundaram Ravi Umpire: Shozab Raza TV umpire: Ruchira Palliyaguruge Match referee: Andy Pycroft Result: Pakistan won by 59 runs
