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