Sharjah: Babar Azam’s reign over West Indies bowling continued with the 21-year-old batsman cracking his second consecutive century and steering Pakistan to an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three match One Day International (ODI) series.
Hitting 123 runs off 126 balls with nine boundaries and one six, Azam ensured Pakistan a whopping total of 337 for 5 in the second match at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. In the first One-day match he had cracked 120 runs in Pakistan’s 111 runs victory at the same venue.
Chasing a run rate of 6.74 runs per over, West Indies were restricted to 278 for 7 in 50 overs and Pakistan won the match by 59 runs.
Pakistan’s experienced batsman Shoaib Malek too cracked a breezy 90 runs off 84 balls with three boundaries and six sixers. Azam and Malek whipped the West Indies attack to put on a 169 runs partnership in 28.3 overs for the third wicket.
Backed by drum beats and fans cheering for him, Azam reached his second century in the 42nd over and batted till the 46th over before lifting debutant Alzarri Joseph to Carlos Brathwaite at long on. He also put on 73 runs in 11.3 overs for the fourth wicket with Sarfraz Ahmed, who remained unbeaten on 60 off 47 balls with seven boundaries.
West Indies bowlers bowled short deliveries to almost all the settled batsmen allowing them to hit freely. They also bowled 12 wides, an extra two overs as gift for Pakistan.
Pakistan’s total was their second highest One Day International (ODI) score after their score of 364 for 7 against New Zealand at the same venue on December 14, 2014.
West Indies needed a good start to chase the big total but their opener Johnson Charles fell for 2 by hitting Mohammad Amir to Imad Wasim at cover.
Darren Bravo and Kraigg Brathwaite defied the Pakistan attack to put on 92 runs in 20 overs when Bravo on 43 top edged Mohammad Nawaz to skipper Azhar Ali in the covers, who dropped the catch. At the same score Kraigg got run out for 39 off a fine pick and up and throw from Nawaz at point. It ended the 89 runs partnership in 19.4 overs for the second wicket.
Bravo reached his fifty in 56 balls hitting Nawaz for a huge six over long on out of the stadium.
Marlon Samuels joined Darren and at the half way mark they were 110 for 2 still needing another 228 runs. Bravo’s innings of 61 off 74 balls with five fours and three sixes ended in a run out through a brilliant pick up and direct hit by Hasan Ali.
Denesh Ramdin and Marlon Samuels put on 67 runs in 8.5 overs before Samuels was bowled by a beauty from Wahab Riaz for 57 off 52 balls. Riaz also clean bowled Ramdin for 34. In the last ten overs, West Indies needed 121 runs with five wickets remaining. Riaz ran out Carlos Brathwaite for 14 through a direct hit to take the game away from them.
Earlier, Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat. Opener Sharjeel Khan continued to stroke fluently as he did in the first match. In the second over he picked his first boundary off Alzarri to third man and in the third over swept West Indies skipper Jason Holder for a boundary and also lifted him for a six over long off.
Skipper Azhar Ali failed again scoring just nine runs from 18 balls before being trapped leg before by Holder. Alzarri picked his maiden ODI wicket in his third over when Sharjeel scooped his delivery to Holder at mid-on for 24.
Azam, fresh from his century, began to middle the ball and picked the gaps. Malek opened out and even stepped out to hit Carlos Brathwaite for a six. They accelerate the run rate with Azam too stroking nicely.
In the 17th over, Azam hit a full blooded pull off Brathwaite and Pakistan went past the 100 run mark in the 19th over. Malek hit Sulieman Benn for his second six over long on. Using his feet he stepped out to lift Benn again for a six in the 21st over.
Azam was the first to reach his half century in 60 balls. Malek too followed reaching his half century off a glorious straight drive off Benn in 56 balls.
At the half way mark, Pakistan reached at a commanding 142 for 2.
In the 27th over, Malek hit Benn for three consecutive sixes, the third one went out of the stadium. The pair picked runs with ease as West Indies bowlers including skipper Holder wavered in line and length. Their partnership went past the 150 runs mark in the 31st over.
At the score on 209 Malek, who looked all set for a century, fell ten shot of his century. He cut into the hands of Darren Bravo at backward point off Sunil Narine.
Sarfraz joined Azam who was batting on 76. With ten overs still remaining, Pakistan posted 240 for 3. Azam, after reaching his century in the 42nd over thanked the crowd’s applause by whacking Brathwaite for a six over over mid-wicket.
After Azam’s departure in the 46th over, Sarfraz took charge and steered Pakistan past the 300 run mark by hitting Kieron Pollard for three successive boundaries. The first two boundaries were elegant pulls and third was a slap to third man boundary and reached his half century in 44 balls.
