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PAK beat WI by 143 runs | Pakistan vs West Indies, Highlights And Cricket Score 1st T20I Match - Commentary
West Indies in Pakistan, 3 T20I Series, 2018
Date: Apr 01, 2018 Start Time: 20:30 IST | 15:00 GMT | 20:00 LocalVenue: National Stadium, Karachi
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Pakistan vs West Indies Highlights And Cricket Score 1st Match - T20I Commentary
Full tosses, length balls, not bowling to the field set, not fielding well... Windies were just not up for it with the ball and on the field. Can they turn up with the bat? Let us see...
Keemo Paul was the pick of the bowlers with frugal figures of 4-0-26-1. The rest went for plenty and though one might argue that the Windies were a bowler short with Veerasammy Permaul twisting his ankle in his very first over, doubt whether that would have mattered much.
The platform was laid by the openers, although Babar Azam was dismissed early. The Windies tried to stifle the batsmen but runs and boundaries never stopped coming. Fakhar Zaman and Hussain Talat kept the momentum going but a couple of soft dismissals brought the visitors back in the game. They tried to keep things quiet but the cameos from Sarfraz and Malik pegged them back.
Massacre at the death. 44 in the last 2 overs. When 180 was looking difficult, Shoaib Malik has taken the score beyond 200.
Kesrick Williams to Shoaib Malik. FOUR! A boundary to end the innings and raise the 200 FOR PAKISTAN. On a length outside off, Malik gets down and mows it over cow corner to end the innings on a high. WINDIES NEED 204 TO WIN!
Kesrick Williams to Shoaib Malik. Full on middle and leg, flicked to deep mid-wicket for a brace now.
Kesrick Williams to Faheem Ashraf. The batsman has flicked the ball off his pads. One run added to the total.
Kesrick Williams to Faheem Ashraf. SIX! SPANKED! A full toss now, on middle, Faheem lofts this dead straight and clears the sightscreen!
Kesrick Williams to Faheem Ashraf. NOT OUT, 4 LEG BYES! Worthless review. Seemed to be pitching outside leg and Hawk Eye confirms that. Wonder why Williams was so confident that he had his man. Anyways, on the shorter side, skidding through, Faheem went for the pull but the ball went off his pads, past the keeper, through the vacant slip cordon to the third man fence. Williams was desperate for the review and Jason Mohammed granted him his wish. But for nothing.
LBW? Williams certainly thinks so and has convinced his skipper to take the review. Doesn't look out to me...
Kesrick Williams to Faheem Ashraf. FOUR! Bad ball, a ball wide outside off, with third man in the ring. Ashraf squeezes it past short third man and gets a boundary.
Kesrick Williams to bowl the final over.
Rayad Emrit to Shoaib Malik. SIX! Gift! A full toss is a gift to the batter in limited overs. Malik makes full use of hit and deposits this over deep mid-wicket fence for another biggie. This is the most expensive over of the innings - 23 have come off it.
Rayad Emrit to Shoaib Malik. FOUR! The change of angle doesn't help. Emrit runs in from round the wicket and delivers this full outside off. Now, Malik already has room due to the angle. He just makes nice contact and smashes it through covers and collects a boundary.
Rayad Emrit to Shoaib Malik. SIX! WALLOP! What a strike that is! Full length delivery around middle and leg, Malik clears his front leg and hits it high and handsome over deep mid-wicket for a maximum.
Rayad Emrit to Shoaib Malik. FOUR! Pedestrian stuff from Williams at deep square leg. This ball is flicked by Malik to deep square leg. Kesrick rushes to his left in the deep and looks to slide and make a stop. But seems that his knee got stuck in the ground and he lets the ball go through his leg. He clutches his leg in pain post that.
Rayad Emrit to Faheem Ashraf. The batsman has played that straight back over the bowler. The batsmen have run through for a single.
Rayad Emrit to Faheem Ashraf. This ball is driven straight back past the bowler for a couple.
Rayad Emrit is back on for his last over.
Keemo Paul to Faheem Ashraf. Outside off, driven through covers for one. This has been a good over from Paul.
Keemo Paul to Shoaib Malik. Full on the stumps, pushed down to long on for one.
Keemo Paul to Shoaib Malik. DROPPED! This was much easier than the previous one. Full on off, Malik chips it back. This one comes to Paul at a comfortable height. He stretches his right hand out and the ball pops out of it. There is another attempt made by him but he fails to make contact for the second time. Will this be costly?
Keemo Paul to Faheem Ashraf. Almost a return catch! In a bid to bowl a yorker, Paul bowls a full toss around off. Ashraf ends up pushing it back past the bowler. He stretched his right hand out but failed to get a hand to it. A run taken.
Keemo Paul to Faheem Ashraf. Paul runs in from round the wicket and delivers a yorker. All that Ashraf can do is dig it out.
Faheem Ashraf walks out. Another leftie...
Keemo Paul to Asif Ali. Played on! This is delivered on a length just outside off, Ali looks to heave it to the on side. All he manages to do is get an inside edge and then the ball goes on to rattle the stumps. On another look it is seen that it was the slower leg cutter outside off. Perhaps the batter was done in by the change of pace there.
Keemo Paul is back on.
Rovman Powell to Asif Ali. Very full, on middle and leg, Asif misses his flick and the ball goes off the inside edge onto his pads. A single taken.
Rovman Powell to Shoaib Malik. Driven through mid on by the batsman. One run added to the total.
Rovman Powell to Shoaib Malik. MISFIELD, FOUR! A full toss on middle, Malik flicks it towards deep mid-wicket. Rovman Powell gets across but lets the ball through his legs.
Asif Ali walks in at number 6, replacing his captain.
Rovman Powell to Sarfraz Ahmed. OUT! Straight to the man. A length ball outside off, Sarfraz swings hard but only finds deep mid-wicket to perfection. Andre Fletcher makes no mistake. Pakistan's chances of reaching 200 fading now...
Rovman Powell to Sarfraz Ahmed. FOUR! A second late and Sarfraz would have been bowled. But gets down in time and laps it over short fine leg for a boundary.
Rovman Powell to Shoaib Malik. Full toss on middle, pushed down to long on for a single.
Kesrick Williams to Shoaib Malik. Outside off, run down to third man for one more.
Kesrick Williams to Sarfraz Ahmed. Played to the point region by the batsman. One run added to the total.
Kesrick Williams to Shoaib Malik. Another flick, this time for a single.
Kesrick Williams to Shoaib Malik. On middle, clipped through mid-wicket for an easy couple.
Shoaib Malik walks in at number 5, replacing Talat. Sarfraz is still fuming...
Kesrick Williams to Sarfraz Ahmed. OUT! Another run out. And Sarfraz is not happy. Rightly so. A yorker on middle, Sarfraz clips it towards mid-wicket and calls for two. Now, when he turns for the second, the bowler comes in his way and they collide. Poor Talat is not able to see his skipper and is stranded, as he comes down for the second. Easy run out for Denesh Ramdin. Talat walks off with a smile on his face, which is good to see. Sarfraz cries foul play but the bowler says it was not intentional. Hmmm... End of the 75-run stand.
Kesrick Williams to Sarfraz Ahmed. Outside off, chipped over cover for a couple.
Here comes the death over specialist. Kesrick Williams to bowl the 16th over.
Rovman Powell to Sarfraz Ahmed. A sweep shot. Yes Sarfraz does that to a medium pacer. Gets it through square leg for a single. 11 from the over.
Rovman Powell to Hussain Talat. The batsman has played it towards mid-wicket. One run added to the total.
Rovman Powell to Sarfraz Ahmed. A slower one now, bunted down to long on for one.
Rovman Powell to Sarfraz Ahmed. SIX! SMOKED! Sarfraz gets his first biggie of the night. A length ball outside off, slower one, the skipper spots the change in pace and swings it into the night sky in the direction of long on. Clears the fielder comfortably.
Rovman Powell to Hussain Talat. Very full, chipped towards long off for a run.
Rovman Powell to Sarfraz Ahmed. Full on middle, pushed down to long on for a single.
Rayad Emrit to Hussain Talat. A yorker, on middle, pushed towards mid on but it hits Sarfraz instead. Brilliant over from Emrit. Just 4 from it.
Rayad Emrit to Sarfraz Ahmed. Another slower ball, heaved towards long on for one.
Rayad Emrit to Hussain Talat. A slower ball now, Hussain looks to heave but mistimes it towards mid-wicket. Just a run.
Rayad Emrit to Hussain Talat. A lovely yorker outside off, Talat looks to squeeze it out but misses.
Rayad Emrit to Sarfraz Ahmed. The batsman has driven it through mid off. The batsmen have run through for a single.
Rayad Emrit to Hussain Talat. A low full toss, on off, pushed down to long on for a single.
Rayad Emrit has been summoned to bowl now.
Rovman Powell to Sarfraz Ahmed. FOUR! Not quite what he intended to do but the Pakistan skipper will take it. A short ball outside off, Sarfraz looks to go over point but gets an outside edge over short third man instead. A boundary results! 12 from that over.
Rovman Powell to Hussain Talat. Walks down the track, does Hussain and Powell bowls a slower yorker. Talat can only dig it out to the off side for another single.
Rovman Powell to Sarfraz Ahmed. Full and straight, pushed down to long on for one.
Rovman Powell to Hussain Talat. Jumps down the track and swings it hard, but straight to deep mid-wicket. Only a run.
Rovman Powell to Sarfraz Ahmed. Slower ball, on a length, outside off, punched past extra cover towards long off for a single. 50-RUN STAND comes up, in 31 ballS!
Rovman Powell to Sarfraz Ahmed. FOUR! SMASH! Out of here. A length ball outside off, Sarfraz smashes this with disdain over mid-wicket. A couple of bounces into the fence.
Rovman Powell to bowl now.
Fakhar Zaman is at the sidelines for an interview. He says that his strategy is to play positive right from the outset. That is what his coaches have told him to do as well. On being asked about the experience of playing an international game in Karachi, Fakhar says that after playing domestic cricket for 8 years at this venue, he is happy to have finally got a chance to play for Pakistan at home. Feels sad about his unfortunate run out but is brave enough to say, 'It happens'.
Keemo Paul to Sarfraz Ahmed. Now a push through mid on for one more.
Keemo Paul to Hussain Talat. The batsman has pushed it to the cover region. They pick up a single.
Keemo Paul to Hussain Talat. Played through mid-wicket by the batsman. Two runs added to the total.
Keemo Paul to Hussain Talat. A sharp bouncer, at the face, Talat ducks.
Keemo Paul to Hussain Talat. Full and outside off, skewed over extra cover for a couple.
Keemo Paul to Sarfraz Ahmed. The batsman has flicked the ball off his pads. One run added to the total.
Keemo Paul is back on.
Samuel Badree to Hussain Talat. Played to the mid-wicket region by the batsman. They manage to come back for the second. Not a great outing for Badree tonight - 4-0-37-0.
Samuel Badree to Hussain Talat. The batsman was beaten and missed the line of the delivery.
Samuel Badree to Sarfraz Ahmed. On middle and leg, tucked through the leg side for an single.
Samuel Badree to Sarfraz Ahmed. FIVE WIDES! Not a bad intention from Badree but the result is not what he wanted. He anticipates Sarfraz coming down the track and fires it down the leg side, thinking he will have him stumped. But Sarfraz stumps him instead. He stays where he is and stumps his opposite number too, as Denesh Ramdin is blinded. He cannot collect the ball and that is a boundary and a wide.
Ha ha ha... Both outsmarting each other. Sarfraz pre-meditates and jumps down the track. Badree sees it and well, does not release the ball. Sarfraz then shawo-practises a push to long off.
Samuel Badree to Hussain Talat. On middle, pushed down to long on for a single.
Samuel Badree to Hussain Talat. Short and outside off, cut straight to backward point.
Samuel Badree to Hussain Talat. The googly outside off, Talat looks to cut but misses.
Marlon Samuels to Hussain Talat. Comes down the track but this time is not quite to the pitch of the ball. Is forced to push the ball to cover. Collects a single. 15 from the over!
Marlon Samuels to Hussain Talat. SIX! There he goes again! Tossed up on middle and off, Talat jumps down the track and sends this flying over long on!
Marlon Samuels to Hussain Talat. Full and down the leg side, Hussain looks to sweep but the ball goes off his bottom hand and lands beside him.
Marlon Samuels to finish this over.
Things are not looking good for Permaul. He is down on the ground and seems to be in immense pain as the physio stretches his legs. This is definitely not good... He seems to have twisted his ankle. A STRETCHER is being called. Oh dear... really sad for Permaul. He just bowled 5 balls of which only 3 were legal and his captain has to think of a bowling option to bowl the remaining 21. Permaul seems to be in immense pain and this is very, very bad to see. Even the support team in the dugout cannot bear to watch. The left leg is taped up for Permaul.
Veerasammy Permaul to Hussain Talat. FOUR! STUPENDOUS! Full and outside off, Talat reaches out and slogs it towards long on. There is a man in the deep, who jogs to his right but the ball is too powerfully struck. Meanwhile, what has happened to Permaul? He is on the ground!
Veerasammy Permaul to Hussain Talat. The batsman defends it from within the crease.
Veerasammy Permaul to Hussain Talat. WIDE. Another one fired outside the pitch, outside off, left alone.
Veerasammy Permaul to Hussain Talat. Outside off, cut behind point for a couple.
Veerasammy Permaul to Hussain Talat. WIDE. Comes around the wicket to the left-hander and bowls this well outside the pitch on the off side. Left alone.
Time for some left-arm spin. Veerasammy Permaul into the attack.
Samuel Badree to Hussain Talat. The batsman plays it with an angled bat and guides it to third man. One run added to the total.
Samuel Badree to Hussain Talat. Outside off, slapped behind point for a couple.
Samuel Badree to Sarfraz Ahmed. A long hop, skids off the surface, Sarfraz looks to pull but the ball goes off the toe end towards long on. A run taken.
Samuel Badree to Hussain Talat. Full and outside off, Hussain gets down and lofts it inside out. Almost straight into the hands of the man at sweeper cover. A single.
Samuel Badree to Sarfraz Ahmed. UMPIRE'S CALL! Wow. That actually was much closer than it looked. The googly, on middle and leg, Sarfraz looks to tuck it away but misses and is hit on the pads. Seems to be going down the leg side as the Windies appeal. The umpire gives no response as the batsmen take a run. Leg bye is signalled. Now, the Windies get together and Jason Mohammed signals for the review. Well, well, well, pitching in line and clipping leg stump! Just! Sarfraz survives and the Windies retain their review. A win-win situation.
Okay... we have a review here. The Windies believe they have their man LBW. Looks to be missing... to the naked eye...
Samuel Badree to Hussain Talat. The googly, around off, Talat looks to pull but the ball stays low and goes off the toe end of the bat through square leg. A single taken.
Kesrick Williams to Sarfraz Ahmed. FOUR! What a beautiful shot. A length ball outside off, Ahmed just waits for the ball to come to him and guides it towards third man. Once the ball makes contact with the turf, it just speeds through. Rayad Emrit puts in a desperate dive to his left but misses.
Kesrick Williams to Hussain Talat. Outside off once more, steered towards third man for one.
Kesrick Williams to Hussain Talat. Outside off again, Hussain looks to tap and run but gets a bottom edge which bounces over the stumps!
Kesrick Williams to Sarfraz Ahmed. Outside off, chopped down to third man for a run.
Kesrick Williams to Hussain Talat. On middle and leg, tucked towards fine leg for a single.
Captain Sarfraz Ahmed walks in at number 4, replacing Zaman.
Kesrick Williams to Hussain Talat. OUT! Yes, no, yes, no, oh noooooooooooooo! Misunderstanding costs Pakistan a wicket. On a length outside off, Talat runs it down towards backward point. He takes a step initially but then stops. Meanwhile, Zaman wants the run and is halfway down the track. But Talat is busy watching how Veerasammy Permaul is fielding the ball. Does not even say no to Zaman. Eventually Fakhar turns but it is too late. He could have waited for a second more and then shook hands with his partner. Permaul returns the throw to the bowler who fumbles but manages to disturb the stumps. Zaman valiantly tries to get back, but in vain. Big wicket for the Windies.
Samuel Badree to Fakhar Zaman. The googly outside off, FZ looks to cut but misses.
Samuel Badree to Fakhar Zaman. SIX! STUPENDOUS! Zaman finally breaks free. He has been tied down for a while and this is his response. Floated outside off, Fakhar gets down and slog sweeps it over long on! The first of the night.
Samuel Badree to Hussain Talat. On middle and leg, worked towards long on for one.
Samuel Badree to Fakhar Zaman. Full and outside off, eased down to long off for a run.
Samuel Badree to Hussain Talat. Outside off, pushed through point for a quick single.
Samuel Badree to Hussain Talat. A full ball outside off, Talat looks to drive but the ball goes off the inner half of the bat back to the bowler.
Samuel Badree is back on.
Kesrick Williams to Hussain Talat. The batsman has flicked the ball off his pads. The batsmen have run through for a single. 56/1 in the Powerplay for Pakistan.
Kesrick Williams to Hussain Talat. FOUR! What a shot and what a way to get off the mark! A length ball outside off, skids through, but Talat gets on top of the bounce and taps it past short third man for a boundary!
Kesrick Williams to Hussain Talat. Outside off, left alone.
Kesrick Williams to Fakhar Zaman. Outside off, punched through the covers for a quick single.
Kesrick Williams to Fakhar Zaman. FOUR! SLAUGHTERED! Short and outside off, Zaman crunches it through the covers. There is a fielder in the deep at sweeper but he has no chance! 50 UP FOR PAKISTAN.
Kesrick Williams to Fakhar Zaman. Full and outside off, driven straight to cover.
Kesrick Williams to bowl the final over of the Powerplay.
Debutant Hussain Talat walks in at number 3, replacing Azam.
Rayad Emrit to Babar Azam. OUT! LBW! It is a terrific delivery from Emrit and the opening partnership is broken. Azam is gone. Very full, almost a yorker, pretty straight, Babar looks to flick but misses the ball. Is hit on the pads and Emrit appeals. The umpire takes his time but eventually raises his finger! Babar walks all the way back to Zaman after completing the single, contemplates the review but does not take it. Hawk Eye shows the ball to be clipping leg stump, so the decision would have stayed. Finally some relief for the Windies but they need the wicket of Zaman.
Rayad Emrit to Babar Azam. Outside off, punched straight to cover.
Rayad Emrit to Babar Azam. FOUR! Dismissed from his presence. A short ball outside off, Azam just whips a pull and sends the ball flying towards the mid-wicket fence. There is a man in the deep who comes in handy - to retrieve the ball.
Rayad Emrit to Babar Azam. Outside off, skids off the pitch again, Babar looks to cut but misses again.
Rayad Emrit to Fakhar Zaman. The batsman has punched the ball off the back foot. One run added to the total.
Rayad Emrit to Babar Azam. On a length around off, cuts back in sharply, Azam is cramped for room and somehow manages to chop it down towards cover. A single taken.
Keemo Paul to Babar Azam. On middle and leg, worked past fine leg for a single. 11 from the over, 21 off the last 2...
Keemo Paul to Babar Azam. On middle and leg, worked straight to square leg.
Keemo Paul to Babar Azam. FOUR! Thank you. Buffet from Paul. A short ball, down the leg side, with fine leg up in the ring. Any better gift? Azam just turns it past the man in the ring at fine leg and gets consecutive boundaries.
Keemo Paul to Babar Azam. FOUR! Super shot. A fraction short outside off, Azam cuts it behind point and gets a boundary!
Keemo Paul to Babar Azam. MISFIELD. Lazyness at its best. Or worst? A short ball, around off, Azam pull-helps it towards short mid-wicket. Marlon Samuels has to move just a couple of paces to his right but even that seems a burden to him. He puts in a huge effort to bend but the ball goes right through his legs. By the time mid on can get across to cut the ball, two runs are taken.
Keemo Paul to Babar Azam. The slower ball, fuller in length outside off, driven straight to cover.
Rayad Emrit to Fakhar Zaman. Full and outside off, FZ executes a free-flowing cover drive for a couple. 10 from that over. Pakistan off to a flier.
Rayad Emrit to Babar Azam. A short ball now, Azam swivels and pulls it through mid-wicket for a run to get off the mark.
Rayad Emrit to Fakhar Zaman. A length ball now, punched down to long on for a single.
Fakhar Zaman is not happy with the sightscreen. he requests the umpire to have it moved a bit to what would be the southpaw's right. Request approved.
Rayad Emrit to Fakhar Zaman. FOUR! SLAP! Short and outside off, Zaman cuts it through point, finds the gap and then the boundary! Moves to 23 from 15 balls and this is his 5th boundary!
Rayad Emrit to Fakhar Zaman. A short ball now, pulled through mid-wicket for a couple.
Rayad Emrit to Fakhar Zaman. Short and outside off, punched straight to cover.
Rayad Emrit is the first change.
Keemo Paul to Babar Azam. Uppish, but safe! What a lovely change of pace. Already this Under-19 recruit is impressing one and all. After bowling quick deliveries on the first 5 balls, Paul takes the pace off this one and bowls a half volley. Azam looks to drive but checks his shot at the last moment due to the slowness of the ball. Nearly spoons a catch to short extra cover.
Keemo Paul to Fakhar Zaman. He is definitely hurrying Fakhar on. The southpaw looks to flick but is beaten by pace and the ball goes off his pads to the off side. A leg bye taken.
Keemo Paul to Fakhar Zaman. Outside off, punched towards cover now.
Keemo Paul to Fakhar Zaman. Lucky. A poor ball, a full toss on a Free Hit, on middle, but Zaman can only push it back to the bowler.
FREE HIT coming up...
Keemo Paul to Fakhar Zaman. NO BALL! Oh dear... that is not an overstepping, it is a massive overstepping. The ball is good, on a length around middle, FZ defends it back to the bowler but this could be the calm before the storm on the next ball.
Keemo Paul to Fakhar Zaman. FOUR! Smart, did you say, Mr. commentator? I am smarter, says Fakhar. A very good delivery, Paul bending his back and extracting extra bounce. It is around the face but what does Zaman do? Arches back and guides it behind point for a boundary!
Keemo Paul to Fakhar Zaman. Smart bowling. On middle and leg, no room, keeping it tight, Zaman pushes it towards mid on.
Keemo Paul to bowl from the other end.
Samuel Badree to Fakhar Zaman. On middle and leg, worked through mid-wicket for a single to make it a very expensive first over. 2 dots, followed by a hat-trick of boundaries and then a single.
Samuel Badree to Fakhar Zaman. FOUR! A hat-trick now. More poor stuff from the once upon a time number 1 T20I bowler. Down the leg side, short again, Zaman looks to pull, cannot get enough bat on it but still, a tickle is enough to beat short fine leg.
Samuel Badree to Fakhar Zaman. FOUR! Back-to-back! Another long hop, outside off, the attempted googly, Fakhar goes back and punches it through the covers for a boundary!
Samuel Badree to Fakhar Zaman. FOUR! Cannot resist this time. More flight from Badree, Zaman throws his bat at it and slices the ball over point. One bounce and into the ropes.
Samuel Badree to Fakhar Zaman. Another dot. Fuller in length, around off, pushed towards point.
Samuel Badree to Fakhar Zaman. A dot to start. Short and outside off, skids off the surface, Zaman cuts it towards point where a diving stop prevents runs.
The Windies get into a huddle. Pakistan openers have a small talk outside the ropes and now step inside. Who are they? A mixture of calmness and aggression. It is the pair of the cool Babar Azam and the explosive Fakhar Zaman. Not too surprising - Samuel Badree will open the bowling with his leg spin. Zaman to face. Here we go. Let's play, Karachi!!!
'Rally 'around the West Indies...' says their national anthem. Rally 'around the cricket is what the common call is. We are not far from the first ball. The atmosphere is exceedingly electric. Who would have thought that? Well done, Karachi.
Time for the national anthems now. The Windies' one first up...
Two debutants for each side. Hussain Talat and Asif Ali for the home side, Keemo Paul and Veersammy Permaul for the tourists.
TOSS - Time for the spin of the coin. The captain for this tour, Jason Mohammed, calls it correctly and WINDIES WILL CHASE.
Full marks to the visiting side for agreeing to tour when so many others refused. Agreed, they were given some 'extra' money by the PCB but at least they have ensured that a game goes on in Pakistan. The tourists are not at their full strength which takes some sheen off the series but hopefully, they will give some fight and make this contest interesting.
An international game after 9 years. A T20I after nearly 10 years. If this is not what defines strife, then don't know how will the people of Karachi define their pain in being made devoid of watching cricket. It is not their fault but neither is it the fault of the players and boards who prefer not to tour this country. But whenever such occasions do arise when the people can watch their favourite stars in action on the cricketing field, boy, does it feel like an oasis in the desert - with the only difference being that in this case, what you see is what indeed you get as opposed to the first case. Hello and a warm welcome to the first of the 3-T20I series between Pakistan and Windies at the National Stadium, Karachi.
That ends the first game. Got a train to catch. The Windies cannot even give that excuse. Two more matches to go, at the same venue, without even a day's break. Are we in for a forgettable series? Hopefully not. Join us at 1930 local (1430 GMT) for the second T20I on Monday, 2nd April, 2018. Before we take your leave, we request you to go through the other international games happening around the globe - NZ vs Eng and SA vs Aus. ADIOS! TAKE CARE!
Victorious Pakistan skipper, SARFRAZ AHMED, thanks the almighty and says that Pakistan played very good tonight. Credits Fakhar Zaman for providing a good start and then Hussain Talat and Shoaib Malik for their displays. On the performance, Sarfraz says that his message to the team was not to relax, not to take the opposition lightly and only focus on their own performance. Is excited about the young guys in the team and is looking forward to see more debutants in the remaining matches.
Windies captain, JASON MOHAMMED, feels that it was going on nicely till the last 2 overs with the ball and blames the batting totally. Puts it on bad execution of shots. For the next match, he says that one has to stay positive as a team and look to do better in the second game. Thanks the crowd for the warm reception.
HUSSAIN TALAT has been named the MAN OF THE MATCH. Credits the people for supporting him and believing that he belongs in the Pakistan unit. Stresses that he has been wishing for a long time to play for the national side. Says that he was not nervous at all and just trusted his skills.
NAJAM SETHI, PCB chief, thanks the Karachites for coming in large numbers for the game. States that it has provided the board and the team a big boost. Credits Wasim Akhtar for working day and night to get the stadium ready.
They are still getting the stage ready for the presentation. Bet no one would have expected the game to finish so early...
MOHAMMAD AMIR is giving an interview. He says that his role with the new ball is to take wickets. Add that by doing this, the opposition gets under pressure and that is what happened tonight. Further says that the wicket was very good for batting, which is why 200 were made in the first place. But under lights, if one pitches the ball up to the batsman, then he gets spongy bounce which is why Pakistan got so many wickets. On the confidence in the team, he says from the New Zealand tour, the group is gelling well as a unit. Thanks the crowd for supporting them in large numbers and feels privileged to be playing his first international game in Karachi.
Well bowled, Pakistan but tell us the truth. Didn't you feel like a net session with the ball? Or a slightly better feeling than a warm-up match. Because you were bowling against an opposition that did not turn up at all. Mohammad Amir started it with a double-wicket opening over and everyone except Faheem Ashraf got something in the wickets' column.
What to describe in this innings? Probably the fall of wickets will be self-explanatory. 6/1, 8/2, 8/3, 15/4, 27/5, 33/6 ... oh stop it. Just too average to be mentioned. No one stepped up. Way too many soft dismissals with only 3 batsmen reaching double figures. 4 ducks in the innings as well. Ouch.
Demolition. Winning by more than half the runs of one's own score and keeping 38 balls in the bank is tremendous. Absolute mockery of a contest, with the Windies registering their lowest T20I score.
Hussain Talat to Samuel Badree. OUT! That is the end of the match. A short ball outside off, Badree looks to pull but gets a top edge which goes high in the air. Shoaib Malik runs back from mid-wicket and takes a good catch. Permaul is absent hurt, so PAKISTAN GO 1-0 UP WITH A 143-RUN WIN.
Hussain Talat to Keemo Paul. Dropped short, pulled through mid on for one.
Hussain Talat to Samuel Badree. Outside off, edged away to third man for a run.
Hussain Talat to Keemo Paul. On middle, worked through the leg side for a single.
Experimentation. Hussain Talat is being given the ball.
Shoaib Malik to Samuel Badree. SIX! Good shot. Full and outside off, Badree comes forward and whips it wide of long on for a biggie!
Shoaib Malik to Samuel Badree. Full and outside off, Badree comes down the track and looks to flick but misses. The ball goes off his pads past the leg stump towards leg slip.
Shoaib Malik to Samuel Badree. Quicker and shorter, outside off, punched to the off side. No hat-trick then.
Rinse. Repeat. One goes in, then goes out. Who comes in now? Everyone is waiting for the new man. The Pakistan players are looking in the direction of the Windies dugout. No one is coming! Aaahhh... someone does come. Samuel Badree. Hat-trick on the cards? He is technically the last man in as Veerasammy Permaul will not bat.
Shoaib Malik to Kesrick Williams. OUT! What is in a name? Definitely the saying is worth gold if it reads 0 in front of the name. Williams has come in, taken a good 2-3 minutes to take his guard, mark that and then do some rituals, before going for a big booming drive and edging it to first slip. Thanks for coming.
Who is next? Kesrick Williams.
Shoaib Malik to Rayad Emrit. OUT! Given. Not convinced though, am I. But who am I to judge? Full and on off, Emrit swings this towards deep mid-wicket. Hussain Talat waits for the ball to come to him and then takes the catch. After that, he looks back like a guilty person who has done something wrong. Has he touched the rope? Hasan Ali running towards him from squarish mid-wicket signals it is out. The umpires are not sure and refer it upstairs. Replays seem to indicate that his back foot is touching the ropes. But the third umpire just sees two replays and flashes OUT on the giant screen.
Out? Or a six? Hasan Ali signals it is out. But the man who has taken the catch, Hussain Talat, is looking very sheepish. Referred upstairs...
Shoaib Malik to Rayad Emrit. Full and outside off, pushed towards cover.
Shadab Khan to Keemo Paul. Hurrah! 50 IS UP FOR THE WINDIES. Some achievement. On middle, Paul whips it through square leg for a couple.
Shadab Khan to Rayad Emrit. Full and outside off, slogged to widish long on for a single.
Shadab Khan to Rayad Emrit. The googly, not picked, Rayad looks to pull but misses and is hit on the pads.
Shadab Khan to Rayad Emrit. The batsman manages only a bottom edge on that one.
Shadab Khan to Rayad Emrit. SIX! THRASH! Something to write about for the batting. the traditional leg spinner, outside off, Emrit uses the long levers and sends this sailing over mid-wicket!
Shadab Khan to Rayad Emrit. On middle and leg, defended watchfully.
Shadab Khan switches ends.
Shoaib Malik to Keemo Paul. FOUR! Edged, but how has this not gone to hand? Full and outside off, Paul lunges to defend but the ball takes the outside edge. It goes past Sarfraz Ahmed but also evades Babar Azam at first slip, perfectly bisecting the two!
Shoaib Malik to Rayad Emrit. The batsman flicks it away with a wristy shot. They pick up a single.
Shoaib Malik to Keemo Paul. Another back foot punch, this time for a run.
Shoaib Malik to Rayad Emrit. Punched off the back foot by the batsman. They pick up a single.
Shoaib Malik to Rayad Emrit. Outside off, a play and a miss from Emrit.
Andre Fletcher is giving an interview now. Says that the wicket is pretty good and finds themselves unfortunate for being in such a situation. Hopes to learn from the mistakes in this game, try and finish it well and do nicely in the next one. States that it has been a memorable cricketing career for him so far and he is enjoying himself. Adds that the aim of his team was to restrict Pakistan and then chase the score but...
Shoaib Malik to Rayad Emrit. Defended off the back foot by the batsman.
Shoaib Malik has been brought in now.
Mohammad Nawaz to Keemo Paul. Outside off, Paul looks to cut but misses.
Mohammad Nawaz to Keemo Paul. Defended off the front foot by the batsman presenting the full face of the bat.
Mohammad Nawaz to Keemo Paul. Very full, Paul keeps it out.
Mohammad Nawaz to Rayad Emrit. Driven through mid on by the batsman. They pick up a single.
Mohammad Nawaz to Rayad Emrit. Outside off, punched off the back foot.
Mohammad Nawaz to Rayad Emrit. Full and outside off, goes straight through. Emrit pushes but misses.
Shadab Khan to Rayad Emrit. Short and outside off, cut through point for a single.
Shadab Khan to Rayad Emrit. Very full outside off, nicely blocked.
Shadab Khan to Rayad Emrit. Very full outside off, Emrit pushes at it and gets a thick inside edge which just misses the leg stump.
Shadab Khan to Rayad Emrit. Around off, defended nicely.
Shadab Khan to Rayad Emrit. The batsman has driven it straight down the ground.
Shadab Khan to Rayad Emrit. Full and outside off, watchfully defended.
Rayad Emrit is the new man in. He takes a guard but the umpire is not paying attention. On seeing that, Babar Azam from first slip comes forward and helps Emrit. The Pakistan and Windies players are closely knit, as they play a lot of domestic cricket in the Caribbean and in the Middle East.
Mohammad Nawaz to Marlon Samuels. OUT! There goes Samuels, finally. Full and outside off, Samuels looks to slog, but only gets a top edge. The ball swirls in the air but Faheem Ashraf at backward point keeps his eyes on the ball and takes it nicely. Embarrassing...
Mohammad Nawaz to Marlon Samuels. FOUR! Pin-drop silence in the crowd. On middle, Samuels just works this through mid-wicket. There is a man in the deep but by the time he can move across, the ball meets the ropes.
Mohammad Nawaz to Keemo Paul. The batsman has punched the ball off the back foot. They pick up a single.
Mohammad Nawaz to Keemo Paul. Around off, pushed towards the bowler.
Mohammad Nawaz to Keemo Paul. Defended off the back foot by the batsman.
Mohammad Nawaz to Marlon Samuels. On middle, flicked through mid-wicket for a single.
Mohammad Nawaz is back on.
Shadab Khan to Keemo Paul. Outside off, very full, Keemo looks to drive but misses.
Shadab Khan to Keemo Paul. The batsman drives the ball straight down the ground.
Keemo Paul walks in at number 7, replacing Powell.
Shadab Khan to Rovman Powell. OUT! Half the side is done and dusted. The match too, as far as the Windies are concerned. On middle, Powell looks to turn this to the leg side but the ball takes the leading edge, off the toe end of the bat and lobs back to the bowler. Simple return catch.
Shadab Khan to Marlon Samuels. Chips this down to long on for a single.
Shadab Khan to Rovman Powell. Full on middle, clipped through mid-wicket for a run.
Shadab Khan to Marlon Samuels. Short and outside off, punched through the covers for a single.
Shadab Khan to bowl his leg spin now...
Faheem Ashraf to Rovman Powell. FOUR! Down the leg side, helped through mid-wicket for another rare boundary. 24/4 in the Powerplay.
Faheem Ashraf to Rovman Powell. The batsman shows the full face of the bat and defends the ball off the back foot.
Faheem Ashraf to Rovman Powell. Defended off the back foot by the batsman.
Faheem Ashraf to Marlon Samuels. A short delivery which has been pulled away. One run added to the total.
Faheem Ashraf to Marlon Samuels. FOUR! Wow. We get to see a boundary. After that first ball six. A short ball, on middle, Samuels drags it through mid-wicket and finds the boundary.
Faheem Ashraf to Marlon Samuels. On a length around off, cutting back in, Samuels looks to flick but gets hit on the pads.
Faheem Ashraf is the new bowler. Another wicket on the cards?
Hasan Ali to Rovman Powell. Outside off, Powell looks to run it down to third man but gets a thick inside edge onto his pads. A WICKET MAIDEN for Hasan.
Hasan Ali to Rovman Powell. The batsman defends it from within the crease.
Hasan Ali to Rovman Powell. The ball is too wide on the off side for the batsman to make any contact.
Hasan Ali to Rovman Powell. Defended off the back foot by the batsman.
Hasan Ali to Rovman Powell. Full and outside off, solidly defended.
Hasan Ali to Denesh Ramdin. OUT! Another soft dismissal. The Windies' batsmen are giving good adverts to be a fielding coach. They are finding the fielders with so much precision. Love that. Full on middle, a nothing delivery and to counter that, Ramdin plays a nothing shot. Flicks it straight to Mohammad Nawaz at short mid-wicket. Oh dear... match over?
Hasan Ali now.
Mohammad Amir to Marlon Samuels. The batsman has played it to the point region.
Mohammad Amir to Marlon Samuels. Another back foot defense is what we get.
Mohammad Amir to Marlon Samuels. The batsman shows the full face of the bat and defends the ball off the back foot.
Mohammad Amir to Marlon Samuels. Outside off, Marlon pushes at it and is squared up. Gets a thin outside edge which falls in front of Sarfraz Ahmed.
Mohammad Amir to Marlon Samuels. Outside off, Samuels comes down the track and looks to push but misses.
Mohammad Amir to Marlon Samuels. Played to the mid-wicket region by the batsman. The fielder goes for a direct hit but misses the stumps.
Mohammad Amir to Marlon Samuels. WIDE. Full and well outside off, angling away, Samuels lets it go.
Mohammad Nawaz to Denesh Ramdin. Defended off the front foot by the batsman presenting the full face of the bat.
Mohammad Nawaz to Denesh Ramdin. WIDE. Down the leg side, flick shot missed.
Mohammad Nawaz to Denesh Ramdin. Full on middle, driven straight back.
Mohammad Nawaz to Denesh Ramdin. Full and outside off, driven back to the bowler.
Mohammad Nawaz to Marlon Samuels. The batsman has driven that ball straight back. They pick up a single.
Mohammad Nawaz to Marlon Samuels. FOUR! Lucky! Landed outside off, Samuels looks to flick but gets a leading edge which balloons over covers and speeds away to the boundary!
Mohammad Nawaz to Marlon Samuels. Full and around off, pushed back to the bowler.
Mohammad Amir to Denesh Ramdin. The batsman has punched the ball off the back foot. Scintillating over.
Denesh Ramdin walks in now, at number 5, replacing his captain.
Mohammad Amir to Jason Mohammed. OUT! Ctrl plus c 1.3, ctrl plus v 1.5. Jargon? Well, not exactly. It is an exact carbon copy of the Fletcher dismissal, so much so that I am getting tempted to do a copy and paste of that ball. Everything is nearly the same in both balls. The length, the line - outside off, angling away, the batsman playing a loose poke, aerially through the covers and finding Hussain Talat to perfection at cover-point. A 2-ball duck for the 3-match skipper.
Mohammad Amir to Jason Mohammed. The batsman gets a bottom edge of the bat on that one.
Skipper comes in now. Jason Mohammed.
Mohammad Amir to Andre Fletcher. OUT! Straight to the man! A length ball outside off again, Fletcher tamely pushes it through the line but hits it straight to Hussain Talat at cover-point! Soft, soft dismissal. You either go hard and over the top or play soft strokes along the ground. Nothing mid-way.
Mohammad Amir to Marlon Samuels. A length ball outside off, Samuels slashes hard and gets a thick outside edge. The ball nearly goes all the way to third man. A single taken.
Mohammad Amir to Marlon Samuels. Outside off, chipped aerially towards mid off.
Mohammad Amir to Marlon Samuels. WIDE. Full and wide outside off, Samuels goes hard at that but misses.
Mohammad Amir to share the attack with Nawaz.
Mohammad Nawaz to Andre Fletcher. The batsman has defended it by getting right behind the line of the delivery. What an over - 6, 0, 0, W, 0, 0 - Brilliant!
Mohammad Nawaz to Andre Fletcher. Full and straight, pushed back to the bowler.
Marlon Samuels walks in at number 3, replacing Walton.
Mohammad Nawaz to Chadwick Walton. OUT! He is gone now. Nawaz has the last laugh. If you concede a six and then pick a wicket, not a bad deal, eh? Tossed up outside off, Walton comes down the track and looks to go over the top but is not quite to the pitch of the ball. Miscues it towards long off and Asif Ali gets a simple catch. A 6 on the first ball, followed by 3 dots...
Mohammad Nawaz to Chadwick Walton. The batsman shows the full face of the bat and defends the ball off the back foot.
Mohammad Nawaz to Chadwick Walton. A quicker ball, Chadwick looks to flick but misses and is hit on the pads.
Mohammad Nawaz to Chadwick Walton. SIX! TAKE THAT! What a start to the run chase. Short and flat, on middle, Walton goes back and pulls it over square leg!
They are already back. Andre Fletcher and Chadwick Walton will open the batting while Mohammad Nawaz will start off with spin. Walton to face.