Babar Azam stroked yet another century against the West Indies and Hasan Ali claimed five wickets as Pakistan won the second one-day international by 74 runs at the National Stadium in Guyana on Sunday.
Put in by West Indies captain Jason Holder, Pakistan totaled 282-5 and then dismissed the hosts for 208 off 44.5 overs, despite a battling knock from Holder, who was last out to Ali for a top score of 68.
Reinstated in his favorite No. 3 spot, Azam held a faltering innings together and then accelerated toward an unbeaten 125, his fifth century in one-day internationals and a fourth in five innings against the West Indies.
Photo: AFP
His classy knock occupied 132 deliveries, and was embellished with three sixes and seven fours.
“I just wanted to bat through to the end of the innings and I was able to achieve that to help us put up a good total,” Azam said. “It doesn’t matter where I bat, I just want to make a contribution for the team.”
Azam received critical support from Imad Wasim, the all-rounder finishing unbeaten on 43 in an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 99 which released the shackles of the previously disciplined bowling on a pitch lacking the pace and bounce from the first match — which the hosts won by four wickets.
On a good batting pitch the hosts also lost their discipline in the reply, crashing to 75-6 with a series of poor shots, while the Pakistan bowlers showed much greater intent than in the first game.
“Our batting at the top again let us down because I felt, on this pitch, we definitely had a chance to get to 283,” Holder said at the end of the match. “Maybe it would have been different with some more runs at the top, but now we have to focus on winning on Tuesday [in the third and final match].”
Holder was given support by Ashley Nurse, who belted a one-day best 44 in dominating a 58-run seventh-wicket stand with his captain, but the accurate Ali, who finished with 5-38 off 8.5 overs, eliminated any outside chance the West Indies had of stealing a series-clinching victory.
He trapped Nurse leg before wicket and then claimed the final two wickets in the 45th over, both to catches by Azam at mid-off.
The teams meet in the decider today with the West Indies seeking their first one-day series win over Pakistan for 26 years.
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