Trinidad: Debutant Hasan Nawaz announced himself on the international stage with an unbeaten 63, guiding Pakistan to a nervy five-wicket win over West Indies in the opening ODI of the three-match series. Nawaz’s match-winning knock included a decisive 104-run stand with Hussain Talat as the visitors chased down 281 with seven balls to spare.
Earlier, the hosts posted 280, riding on half-centuries from Evin Lewis (60), Shai Hope, and Roston Chase. West Indies were well placed early, with Lewis and Keacy Carty setting a brisk tempo above six runs per over.
But Pakistan’s spinners seized control, choking the run flow in the middle overs. Faheem Ashraf bowled 27 dot balls in this period, and the squeeze forced errors. Lewis fell attempting to attack Saim Ayub, while Sherfane Rutherford failed to get going.
Hope and Chase steadied the innings, but once Shaheen Shah Afridi (4/51) and Naseem Shah (3/55) found reverse swing, wickets tumbled. Only Gudakesh Motie’s late cameo of 31 off 18 balls pushed West Indies to a competitive total.
Pakistan’s chase began shakily, with Ayub departing early. Abdullah Shafique looked in touch during his 29 before low bounce undid him, thanks to a sharp review from Shamar Joseph. Captain Babar Azam (47) and Mohammad Rizwan (53) rebuilt slowly, enduring a phase of 16 dot balls that saw the required run rate climb above six. Just as momentum returned, Motie removed Babar, and Salman Ali Agha departed soon after. Rizwan reached his fifty but fell to Shamar with 101 still needed.
That left debutant Nawaz and Talat, playing just his second ODI, with the task of rescuing the chase. Nawaz started scratchily — 3 off 12 balls — and survived two dropped chances: Hope grassed him early, and Motie spilled one when he was on 49. From there, the pair attacked, finding gaps and boundaries to take the game away from the hosts. Talat finished unbeaten on 41 off 37 deliveries, ensuring Pakistan crossed the line in the 49th over.
The win gives Pakistan a 1-0 lead in the series, with the second ODI scheduled for August 10.
(IANS)
