KARACHI: Pakistan beat the West Indies by 74 runs in the second one-day international at Providence, Guyana, on Sunday after the home side’s lower order once again threatened to steal a surprise victory.

The three-match series now stands level at 1-1. The last match will be played on Tuesday (April 11).

Pakistan bowlers were able to defend a relatively modest target of 283 through accurate, penetrating stuff, especially in the first 25 overs. But in almost a replay of the first match when the Caribbeans came from behind to score a famous win, their lower order gave the visitors a fright, adding over 133 runs for the last four wickets.

Jason Holder, leading the side in the absence of Carlos Brathwaite, led the charge with a defiant, swashbuckling 68.

Hassan Ali was the chief wicket taker for Pakistan with a haul of five for 38 runs.

Agencies add: Earlier Babar Azam stroked yet another hundred against the West Indies as Pakistan rallied from an indifferent start to total 282 for five.

Reinstated in his favourite number three spot in the batting order, Azam held a faltering innings together and then accelerated towards an unbeaten 125, his fifth century in ODIs and fourth in five innings against the Caribbean side. He received critical support from Imad Wasim, the all-rounder finishing unbeaten on 43 in an unbroken sixth wicket stand of 99 which released the shackles of previously disciplined West Indian bowling on a pitch lacking the pace and bounce from the first match.

Pakistan found free scoring difficult at the start and lost both openers to excellent leg side catches by wicketkeeper Shai Hope off fast bowlers Shannon Gabriel and Alzarri Joseph.

Scoreboard

PAKISTAN:

Ahmed Shehzad c Hope b Gabriel 5

Kamran Akmal c Hope b Joseph 21

Babar Azam not out 125

Mohammad Hafeez st Hope b Nurse 32

Shoaib Malik c Hope b Bishoo 9

Sarfraz Ahmed c Walton b Gabriel 26

Imad Wasim not out 43

EXTRAS (B-1, LB-9, W-9, NB-2) 21

TOTAL (for five wkts, 50 overs) 282

FALL OF WKTS: 1-16, 2-44, 3-113, 4-128, 5-183.

DID NOT BAT: Shadab Khan, Mohammad Amir, Hasan Ali, Junaid Khan.

BOWLING: Gabriel 10-1-50-2 (1nb, 2w); Holder 9-0-48-0 (1w); Joseph 9-0-69-1 (1nb, 3w); Bishoo 10-0-40-1; Nurse 10-0-42-1 (3w); Carter 2-0-23-0.

WEST INDIES:

E. Lewis lbw b Amir 13

C.A.K. Walton c Hasan b Junaid 10

S.D. Hope c Shadab b Hasan 15

K.O.A. Powell lbw b Hasan 11

J.L. Carter lbw b Hafeez 12

J.N. Mohammed s Sarfraz b Hafeez 1

J.O. Holder c Babar b Hasan 68

A.R. Nurse lbw b Hasan 44

D. Bishoo lbw b Shadab 16

A.S. Joseph c Babar b Hasan 15

S.T. Gabriel not out 0

EXTRAS (LB-1, W-2) 3

TOTAL (all out, 44.5 overs) 208

FALL OF WKTS: 1-22, 2-27, 3-46, 4-51, 5-56, 6-75, 7-133, 8-156, 9-208

BOWLING: Mohammad Amir 7-1-36-1; Junaid Khan 6-0-41-1 (1w); Hasan Ali 8.5-1-38-5; Mohammad Hafeez 6-0-23-2; Imad Wasim 7-0-29-0 (1w); Shadab Khan 10-1-40-1.

RESULT: Pakistan won by 74 runs to level three-match series 1-1.

UMPIRES: G.O. Brathwaite (West Indies) and I.J. Gould (England).

TV UMPIRE: S.D. Fry (Australia).

MATCH REFEREE: J.J. Crowe (New Zealand).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Babar Azam.

Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2017