SHARJAH, Feb 15: Pakistan, lifted by Shoaib Malik’s unbeaten century and a late hat trick from paceman Mohammad Sami, clinched a one-day series against West Indies with a 51-run victory on Friday.

Malik top-scored with 111 not out, his maiden century at one-day level, as Pakistan were bowled out for 232 in 49 overs.

Sami then took four for 44 to dismiss West Indies for just 181 in 34.4 overs in the second match of three between the sides.

West Indies wasted a positive start and, after opener Chris Gayle’s brisk 62 helped them reach 101 for one in just 14 overs, the rest of the innings fell away alarmingly.

Captain Carl Hooper (29) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (22) were the only other batsmen to reach double figures and the last five wickets crashed for three runs in 10 deliveries.

The first wicket in Sami’s hat trick sequence was a slightly dubious leg-before decision that Ridley Jacobs was clearly unimpressed with. But there was nothing fortuitous about the missile-like yorkers that made unappetising messes of Corey Collymore’s and Cameron Cuffy’s stumps to seal the deal for Pakistan.

His hat trick was the sixth achieved by a Pakistan bowler in one-day-internationals, after Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Jalaluddin and Aaqib Javed and Saqlain Mushtaq.

Man-of-the-match Malik and Sami had both been brought into the Pakistan side for the game while all-rounder Wasim Akram and off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq were rested.

“We wanted to give the youngsters a chance and they grabbed the opportunity with both hands,” Pakistan skipper Waqar Younis said.

Gayle had led the way as West Indies went hell-for-leather in search of a victory that would even up the series. He smashed his way to a 32-ball fifty, and with Wavell Hinds providing stout support, they were healthily placed to overhaul Pakistan’s total.

Gayle hit three sixes, two of them slashed over third man and the third pulled a long way out of the ground. He was equally ruthless on anything pitched short or full and both Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar came in for the full treatment.

There were a couple of superb strokes off his pads down to the square-leg fence and fluent cover-drives that left the fielders standing. After getting to his fifty, he kept going, clipping Sami off his legs and then slashing him over point. Earlier Malik, pushed up the order as a pinch-hitter, tore apart the West Indies attack after Pakistan were stuttering at 51 for four in the 17th over.

Malik added 73 runs in a fifth-wicket stand with Naveed Latif and then prospered in a 62-run partnership with all-rounder Abdur Razzaq for the sixth wicket.

Pakistan lost their way early on when opener Inzamam-ul-Haq failed once again, caught by Gayle off Cuffy for three in the second over with just seven runs on the board.

Shahid Afridi (4), Younis Khan (18) and Yousuf Youhana (1) further compounded Pakistan woes before Malik and Naveed steadied the faltering innings.

Naveed made 45 off 70 balls with five fours and one six, off Hooper.

Razzaq chipped in with a quickfire 30 off 26 balls, which included two sixes, while Malik’s knock included nine fours and one six.