1st T20 WI v PAK: Pakistan clinch last-ball thriller by two wickets

Thirty-four-year debutant Zulfiqar Babar took three key wickets then struck a six off the final ball of the match to give Pakistan a two-wicket victory over West Indies in the first Twenty20 international on Saturday.

Babar dismissed Marlon Samuels (25), Lendl Simmons (6) and Dwayne Bravo (25) to finish with three for 23 from his four overs in West Indies' 152 for seven at Arnos Vale Ground in St Vincent.

The visitors lost wickets at regular intervals in their run chase but were always up with the required rate and, with the scores tied and one ball to go, Babar launched Samuels over the mid-off boundary to seal the win.

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Earlier, powerful late hitting by Kieron Pollard and captain Darren Sammy lifted the West Indies to a competitive 152 for seven.

Pollard's unbeaten 49 represented a welcome return to form in a version of the game in which he excels, while Sammy's blistering 30 off 14 balls completed the home side's recovery from the considerable discomfort of 42 for four after Sammy won the toss and chose to bat first.

Pakistan lost early wickets in their reply, but Umar Amin, also playing his first T20 international, smashed 47 in 34 balls before he was stumped off the bowling of Samuels.

Shahid Afridi took Pakistan close, scoring 46 from just 27 deliveries, including launching his 400th six in all international cricket.

With Pakistan needing six off the last over, Samuels took his team to the brink of a super over, before bowling a full toss that Babar smashed for six from the final delivery.

"It was a great effort from the players, I was really happy to see the desire to win and really happy with the contributions of the debutants and Shahid Afridi. It was a tough chase, we had to be positive," Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez told a television interviewer.

The second and final match is at the same venue on Sunday.

PAKISTAN INNINGS

Shahid Afridi fired a 27-ball 46 while Umar Amin set the pace scoring a gritty 47 as Pakistan secured a thrilling two-wicket victory over West Indies in the first of the two Twenty20 Internationals in St Vincent.

Chasing 153 to win, Pakistan were in early trouble losing two quick wickets before Amin hit nine boundaries during his 47 off 34-ball innings.

Afridi further took Pakistan closer to victory but succumbed when Pakistan still needed eight runs. Thanks to Zulfiqar Babar who smashed a six off the last ball when one run was required saw Pakistan win.

Babar is the star for Pakistan. He steps out and smashes it for a striaght six to give Pakistan a two-wicket victory. Pakistan 158-8 in 20 overs.

A brilliant fielding from Simmons and Ajmal is run out. Pakistan need one from one. Pak 152-8 in 19.5 overs.

Saeed Ajmal run out 0 (1b 0x4 0x6)

So that's going down the wire. Pak 147-7 in 19 overs.

Big wicket for West Indies. Afridi is gone. The game is still on. Pakistan 145-7 in 18.2 overs.

Shahid Afridi c Bravo b Gabriel 46 (27b 4x4 2x6)

Narine finishes his spell. Pak 137-6 in 18 overs. Afridi is on 42.

Afridi leading the charge. Pakistan hopes to see him go all the way. 134-6 in 17 overs.

Afridi hits 400th six in international cricket. Pak 124-6 in 16 overs.

Pakistan lose another wicket. A great catch from Pollard. Pak 116-6 in 15 overs.

Hammad Azam c Pollard b Gabriel 10 (15b 0x4 0x6)

Another good over for Windies. Narine just give four runs. Pak 107-5 in 14 overs.

Good over from Best. Just three runs of it. Pakistan need 50 off 42 balls. Pak 103-5 in 13 overs.

Pakistan reach 100 for 5 in 12.2 overs.

Afridi gets to business immediately. Smashes a six and a boundary. Pak 99-5 in 12 overs.

Amin was looking good but gets out stumped. It's getting difficult for Pakistan and lot will depend on Afridi. Pak 86-5 in 11.1 overs.

Umar Amin st Charles b Samuels 47 (34b 9x4 0x6)

Runs not coming easily for Pakistan. They need 67 from nine overs. Pak 86-4 in 11 overs.

Samuels bowls a fine over. Just three runs. Pak 82-4 in 10 overs.

Pakistan hoping Amin will carry on. He is on 43 and they still have Afridi. Hammad is in. Pak 79-4 in 9 overs.

Akmal is disappointed. That was brilliant fielding from Sammy. West Indies pluck another important wicket. Pak 77-4 in 8.2 overs.

Umar Akmal run out 9 (9b 1x4 0x6)

Misfielding from Bravo cost a boundary. Pak 73-3 in 8 overs.

Five runs coming of that Best over. Pak 66-3 in 7 overs.

Amin plays some amazing shots. Smashes four boundaries off Badree's bowling. Pak 61-3 in 6 overs.

Narine after giving away two boundaries has the last laugh. He ends Hafeez. Pak 45-3 in 5 overs

Amin doing well at the moment. Pak 36-2 in 4 overs.

Three cracking boundaries; all pulled away, from Amin. Great over for Pakistan. Pak 29-2 in 3 overs.

A boundary from Hafeez after the second wicket fell. Pak 14-2 in 2 overs.

West Indies doing an amazing job here. Badree strikes in his first over and a great catch from Pollard at long off. Pak 10-2 in 1.4 overs.

Ahmed Shehzad c Pollard b Badree 3 (6b 0x4 0x6)

So a wicket to start with for West Indies. Pak 10-1 in 1 over.

An eventful short stay for Jamshed. Opens account with a six and is out after holing one in the deep. Pak 7-1 in 0.4 overs.

Nasir Jamshed c Simmons b Gabriel 6 (4b 0x4 1x6)

Jamshed and Shehzad open for Pakistan. Gabriel bowls for Windies.

WEST INDIES INNINGS

Kieron Pollard was unbeaten on 49 while Darren Sammy smashed a quickfire 30 to help West Indies post a challenging 151 for seven in 19.5 overs.

After choosing to bat first, West Indies were in early trouble when Pakistan skipper Mohammad Hafeez and debutant Zulfiqar Babar ran through the top order.

Hafeez claimed the openers including the dangerous Chris Gayle while Babar bagged three wickets as West Indies were struggling at 42 for four.

Dwayne Bravo scored a patient 35-ball 25 followed by blistering knocks from Pollard and Sammy to give Windies a strong total.

S Narine run out 0 (2m 0b 0x4 0x6)

Sammy is out but he has done the job for West Indies. WI 151-6 in 19.5 overs.

D Sammy c Hammad Azam b Mohammad Irfan 30 (14b 2x4 3x6)

Sammy swings at every ball. Gets two sixes and a boundary. Last over to go. WI 136-7 in 19 overs.

The players are back in the middle. Just another nine balls to be bowled.

Play stops again. Spectators enjoy the music despite the rain. WI 124-5 in 18.3 overs

After the brief rain delay, Sammy and Pollard are back in action. WI 116-5 in 18 overs.

It's raining. But looks like a passing shower.

Two boundaries and West Indies reach three-digit mark. WI 108-5 in 17 overs.

Bravo departs as Babar gets three wickets. Big setback for West Indies. All eyes on Pollard. WI 98-5 in 16 overs.

D Bravo c Saeed Ajmal b Zulfiqar Babar 25 (35b 2x4 0x6)

Partnership crosses 50. A great knock from both Pollard and Bravo. WI 96-4 in 15 overs.

West Indies are 89-4 in 14 overs.

Pollard gets a boundary as West Indies is making steady progress. WI 84-4 in 13 overs.

The partnership reaches 35. They need to carry on with the good work. WI 77-4 in 12 overs.

Bravo, Pollard slowly building a partnership here. WI 69-4 in 11 overs.

Afridi kept a tight line before Pollard struck a well timed six off the last ball. WI 65-4 in 10 overs.

West Indies are 55-4 in 9 overs.

The experienced Afridi comes in to bowl. Just three runs from it. WI 51-4 in 8 overs.

West Indies need a partnership. Pollard has began well. WI 48-4 in 7 overs.

Babar takes a wonderful catch of his own bowling. What a day he is having. WI 42-4 in 6.2 overs.

M Samuels c & b Zulfiqar Babar 25 (22b 4x4 1x6)

A fine over from Hafeez. Just one boundary and five dot balls. WI 41-3 in 6 overs.

Zulfiqar Babar tastes success in his first over. Simmons is clean bowled. WI 33-3 in 5 overs.

M Simmons b Zulfiqar Babar 6 (5b 0x4 1x6)

Samuels takes the aggressive route. Smashes two boundaries and a six. WI 27-2 in 4 overs.

Hafeez is on cloud nine. Into his second over and he has trapped Gayle in front. Big wicket. WI 13-2 in 3 overs

C Gayle lbw b Mohammad Hafeez 5 (6b 1x4 0x6)

Two boundaries and West Indies get rolling. WI 12-1 in 2 overs.

Good start for Pakistan. Early success for Hafeez. WI 3-1 in 1 over.

Hafeez strikes in his very first over. WI 2-1 in 0.3 over.

J Charles b Mohammad Hafeez 1 (2b 0x4 0x6)

Gayle, Charles open for Windies. Pakistan skipper Hafeez takes the ball.

Playing XI:
West Indies: C Gayle, J Charles, M Samuels, M  Simmons, K Pollard, D Bravo, D Sammy, S Narine, S Badree, T Best, S Gabriel.

Pakistan: N Jamshed, A Shehzad, M Hafeez, U Amin, U Akmal, S Afridi, H Azam, Z Babar, S Ajmal, J Khan, M Irfan.

Hafeez says Pakistan is building a team keeping in mind the ICC Twenty20 World Cup.

Sammy: "The pitch looks dry and will suit the spinners Narine and Badree."

Windies get Shannon Gabriel in and Darren Bravo misses out as he is unwell.

Two unfamiliar foes with impressive pedigrees in cricket’s shortest format meet as Pakistan conclude their short tour of the West Indies with T20 Internationals in St Vincent on Saturday and Sunday.

Brimming with confidence following a 3-1 triumph in the five-match one-day international series which concluded on Wednesday in neighbouring St Lucia, the visitors will nevertheless be wary of taking on a home side that has played unbeaten since lifting the World T20 title last October in Sri Lanka.

Curiously, there has been only one previous meeting between the two teams in this version, on Pakistan’s last visit to the Caribbean in 2011 when the West Indies held on for a seven-run victory at the Beausejour Stadium.

The weekend fixtures therefore represent an opportunity to redress that deficiency on a stage where both teams are blessed with players who appear to revel in the sport’s newest and most popular incarnation.

For all their struggles in ODI’s in the past month, Chris Gayle and Kieron Pollard will be expected to return to their dominating, destructive best with the bat in the manner that has made them among the most sought-after players for the many T20 competitions now played around the world.

Pakistan, with Mohammad Hafeez at the helm, also have a stage to showcase their explosive, match-winning talents to any interested franchises while at the same time seeking to reinforce their country’s impressive reputation in the 20-over-per-side variety.

Winners of the World T20 in 2009 in England, they were beaten finalists to India in the inaugural event in South Africa two years earlier and reached the semi-finals as defending champions in the West Indies in 2010.

They have brought in three T20 specialists - batsman Hammad Azam, seamer Sohail Tanvir and all-rounder Zulfiqar Babar - to complement the likes of the mercurial Shahid Afridi.

West Indies, with Darren Sammy back as captain, have also drafted in a trio with skills specifically suited to T20 cricket in spinner Samuel Badree, fast bowler Shannon Gabriel and all-rounder Christopher Barnwell.

Coming as they do on the eve of the inaugural Caribbean Premier League T20 tournament, the weekend showdowns at Arnos Vale are therefore an ideal curtain-raiser for that event while also offering Pakistan the chance to conclude what has already been a successful campaign by stealing the thunder from the world champions in their own backyard.

TEAMS:

West Indies: D Sammy (captain), C Gayle, J Charles, DM Bravo, M Samuels, L Simmons, DJ Bravo, K Pollard, D Sammy, C Barnwell, S Narine, T Best, S Gabriel

Pakistan: M Hafeez (captain), Ahmed Shehzad, Nasir Jamshed, Hammad Azam, Haris Sohail, Umar Amin, Asad Shafiq, Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Saeed Ajmal, Sohail Tanvir, Wahab Riaz, Asad Ali, Zulfiqar Babar, Junaid Khan, M Irfan.
 

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