Gayle, Younis slam centuries in Fortune Cup

Abu Dhabi: A battling century by West Indies skipper Chris Gayle failed to stop Pakistan from completing a 3-0 sweep in the Fortune Cup cricket series played at the Zayed Cricket Stadium.

After Younis Khan slammed a century and Misbah-ul-Haq remained unbeaten on 79 to set the Windies a victory target of 274, Rao Iftikhar and Umer Gul bowled Pakistan to a 31-run win despite Gayle's second century in series.

Rao picked up four wickets and Gul three as West Indies were bowled out 242 to give Pakistan skipper Shoaib Malek a huge boost and lift Pakistan in the ODI international standing.

Gayle, who slammed the first century here on Wednesday with a 113, bettered that record with a knock of 122 off 137 balls but the effort was not enough for apart from Ramnaresh Sarwan (62) it was the same story for the Caribbeans.

Gayle hit six sixes and five fours but with eight of his players failing to get into double figures and there was no doubt who the winners would be.

After Shoaib Malek won the toss and elected to bat, Daren Powell gave three wides to start but induced an edge from Salman Butt off the second ball and Shawn Findlay held on.

The other opener Khurram Manzoor should have also been back for a duck but Nikita Miller dropped the Pakistani opener off Powell with the innings score yet to reach double figures.

With Younis Khan beginning to middle the ball well, the Pakistan innings began to take the right shape while Manzoor meandered along. However Manzoor departed when he was finally caught by Miller off skipper Gayle for a laborious 30 off 59 balls.

The in-form Misbah-ul-Haq came to the crease and together with Younis took control of proceedings.

Younis reached his sixth one-day hundred in 117 balls with the help of five boundaries and one six. In a rare celebration, Younis removed a slip of paper from his pocket which read ‘Moti, I miss you' and flashed it- apparently to thank a former fielding coach!

However, soon after Younis was bowled by Miller for 101 in the 42nd over while Misbah soldiered on to finish on 79 not out with the help of one six and three fours. Kamran Akmal again dazzled with two sixes and a four for a 21 of 12 balls and Pakistan finished on 273 for 6.

Scoreboard

Pakistan:
Salman Butt c Findlay b Powell 0
Khurrum Manzoor c Nash b Gayle 30
Younus Khan b Miller 101
Misbahul Haq not out 79
Shoaib Malik b Taylor 13
Shahid Afridi c Chanderpaul b Baker 6
Kamran Akmal b Taylor 21
Extras: (b1, lb2, w20) 23
Total: (for six wkts) 273
Fall of wickets: 1-3 (Butt), 2-88 (Manzoor), 3-191 (Younus), 4-226 (Malik), 5-233 (Afridi), 6-273 (Akmal)
Bowling: Powel 10-0-45-1 (14w), Taylor 10-0-50-2 (2w), Baker 10-0-70-1, Miller 10-0-55-1 (1w), Gayle 10-0-50-1 (3w)

West Indies:
C Gayle c Akmal b Gul 122
S Chattergoon c Younis b Tanvir 6
R Sarwan b Rao 62
S Chanderpaul c Haq b Rao 3
X Marshall b Rao 0
S Findlay c Malik b Rao 5
B Nash c Akmal b Afridi 1
J Taylor b Gul 17
N Miller not out 5
D Powell lbw Gul 0
L Baker b Tanvir 2
Extras (lb 5, w 14) 19
Total (all out; 46.3 overs) 242
Fall of wickets: 1-17 (Chattergoon), 2-168 (Sarwan), 3-176 (Chanderpaul), 4-177 (Marshall), 5-191 (Findlay), 6-193, 7-232 (Gayle), 8-239 (Taylor), 9-239 (Powell), 10-242 (Miller)

Bowling:
Sohail Tanvir 7.3-0-32-2 (3w)
Umar Gul 8-2-31-3 (1w)
Iftikhar Rao 9-1-59-4
Saeed Ajmal 10-0-35-0 (2w)
Shoaib Malik 3-0-29-0 (1w)
Shahid Afridi 9-0-51-1