Khushdil, Babar power Pakistan past West Indies in thriller

Entry of Khushdil Shah

It looked like the Pakistani team had lost its way in the match. Enter Khushdil Shah.

With three sixes off three balls, the diminutive left-hander single-handedly turned around the opening ODI against the West Indies, to the delight of a packed cricket stadium in the early hours of Thursday morning.

The West Indies tightened the noose around Pakistan in their chase of 306 after Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan were dismissed in quick succession.

Pakistan Won by 5 Wickets

With the asking rate surging, Khushdil knew something had to be done and Shepherd was taken to the cleaners in the 47th over. Having started the over needing 44 off 24, Khushdil’s power-hitting saw them end it needing 24 off 18.

Khushdil took Pakistan over the line in a tense climax as his team won by five wickets.

Scoreboard

WEST INDIES:

S. Hope b Haris 127

K. Mayers c & b Shaheen Shah Afridi 3

S. Brooks c Shadab b Nawaz 70

N. Pooran c Khushdil b Haris 21

B. King c & b Shadab 4

R. Powell c M. Haris b Shaheen 32

R. Shepherd c Nawaz b Haris 25

A. Hosein c Hasan b Haris 8

A. Joseph not out 1

H. Walsh not out 2 

EXTRAS (B-5, LB-2, W-5) 12

TOTAL (for eight wickets, 50 overs) 305

DID NOT BAT: Jayden Seales

Fall of Wickets:

1-9 (Mayers), 2-163 (Brooks), 3-198 (Pooran), 4-216 (King), 5-243 (Hope), 6-284 (Powell), 7-302 (Shepherd), 8-302 (Hosein)

BOWLING: Shaheen 10-1-55-2, Hasan 10-0-68-0, Haris 10-0-77-4, Nawaz 10-0-61-1, Shadab 10-0-37-1

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Pakistan:

Fakhar Zaman c Brooks b Seals 11

Imam-ul-Haq c Seales b Hosein 65

Babar Azam c Mayers b Joseph 103

Mohammad Rizwan c Pooran b Shepherd 59

Khushdil Shah not out 41

Shadab Khan c Pooran b Joseph 6

Mohammad Nawaz not out 8 

EXTRAS (W-13) 13

TOTAL (for five wkts; in 49.2 overs) 306

DID NOT BAT: Mohammad Haris, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Fall of Wickets:

1-26 (Fakhar), 2-129 (Imam), 3-237 (Babar), 4-256 (Rizwan), 5-284 (Shadab) BOWLING: Seales 9.2-1-53 -1, Shepherd 9-0-70-1, Joseph 10-0-55-2, Mayers 6-0-50-1, Hosein 10-0-50-1, Walsh 5-0-39-0