SYDNEY, Feb 1: Yousuf Youhana scored a match-winning century as Pakistan joined Australia in the final of a one-day tri-series with a 30-run win over West Indies on Tuesday.
Youhana scored 105 off 100 balls and Inzamamul Haq made 74 off 67 deliveries to help Pakistan post a formidable 307 for eight at the WACA in Perth. West Indies were then bowled out for 277 in the 49th over despite 87 from Ramnaresh Sarwan and 58 from Shivnarine Chanderpaul.
The pair helped their side to 194 for three in the 33rd over but when they departed the innings folded, the last seven wickets falling for 83. Pace man Rana Navedul Hasan mopped up the tail to finish with four for 29.
"I thought we were very well placed, with Sarwan and Chanderpaul," said West Indies captain Brian Lara. "That's the point when the game started to change." West Indies won the toss and made a reasonable start, reducing Pakistan to 90 for three in the 23rd over when the momentum suddenly changed as Youhana and Inzamam added 134 off 119 balls for the fourth wicket.
Inzamam smashed 10 fours before he was bowled by Dwayne Bravo with the total on 224. Man- of- the-Match Youhana was more patient but no less effective. He managed nine boundaries but was more content to accumulate his runs through singles and twos.
He reached his 11th one-day international hundred off 95 deliveries but departed three balls from the end when he was caught short of his ground trying to scamper home for a second run.
Ian Bradshaw was the pick of the bowlers, capturing three wickets for 47 off 10 overs. In reply West Indies lost Chris Gayle for a duck but still looked to be in with a chance of an unlikely victory when Sarwan and Chanderpaul added 95 for the fourth wicket.
The West Indian lower order had staged a late fight back to win last year's ICC Champions Trophy final against England but there were no heroics this time. Pakistan will now play Australia in the best-of-three finals series.
The opening match will be played at Melbourne on Friday with the second match in Sydney on Sunday. A third match, if required, will be held in Adelaide next Tuesday.
SCOREBOARD
PAKISTAN
Salman Butt c Browne b Bradshaw 19
Kamran Akmal c Bravo b Bradshaw 17
Yasir Hameed b King 24
Yousuf Youhana 105
Inzamamul Haq b Bravo 74
Abdul Razzaq st Browne 7
Shahid Afridi b Bradshaw 23
Shoaib Malik not out 8
Rana Navedul Hasan run out 3
Extras: (4lb, 19w, 4nb,) 27
Total: (8wkts, 50 overs) 307
Fall of wkts: 1-37, 2-44, 3-90, 4-224, 5-248, 6-279, 7-300, 8-307.
Bowling: P. Collins 10-0-46-0 (4nb, 1w), I. Bradshaw 10-1-47-3 (5w), R. King 10-0-60-1 (3w), W. Hinds 5-0-44-1 (6w), C. Gayle 5-0-51-0, D. Bravo 10-0-55-1 (2w).
Did not Bat: Rao Iftikhar Anjum, Mohammad Khalil.
WEST INDIES
Rana Navedul Hasan run out 3 C. Gayle c Browne b Navedul Hasan 0
R. Powell c Kamran b Navedul Hasan 23
R. Sarwan st K. Akmal b Shahid Afridi 87
B. Lara c Rao Iftikhar b M. Khalil 19
S. Chanderpaul c Inzamam b Rao Iftikhar 58
W. Hinds c Inzamam b M. Khalil 30
D. Bravo b Shahid Afridi 1
C. Browne b Rana Navedul Hasan 36
I. Bradshaw b Rana Navedul Hasan 0
P. Collins c M. Khalil b Rao Iftikhar 1
R. King not out 3
Extras: (3lb, 11w, 5nb) 19
Total: (48.1 overs) 277
Fall of wkts: 1-0, 2-67, 3-99, 4-194, 5-198, 6-203, 7-257, 8-259, 9-262, 10-277.
Bowling: Rana Navedul Hasan 9.1-0-29-4 (3w), Rao Iftikhar Anjum 9-0-67-2 (3w), Mohammad Khalil 10-0-59-2 (1nb, 2w), Abdul Razzaq 9-0-61-0 (3nb, 2w), Shahid Afridi 10-0-47-2 (1nb, 1w), Salman Butt 1-0-11-0.
Toss: West Indies.
Man-of-the-Match: Yousuf Youhana (PAK)
Umpires: Rudi Koertzen (RSA), Steve Davis (AUS). -Agencies
Final Standings in the limited-overs international series(tabulated under - played, won, tied, lost, no result, bonus points, total points):
Australia 6 4 0 1 1 4 27
Pakistan 6 3 0 3 0 2 17
West Indies 6 1 0 4 1 2 10
NOTE: Five points for win, three for a no result, one for a bonus point.
FINALS: Feb 4: Australia v Pakistan, Melbourne
Feb 6: Australia v Pakistan, Sydney
Feb 8: Australia v Pakistan, Brisbane (if required)