Pakistan hold their nerve in dramatic finish

Offspinner Mirza Jamil snapped up two wickets in the final over to bowl Pakistan to a dramatic two-run victory over West Indies in the knock-out final of the CLICO International Under-15 Championship at Warner Park.

With West Indies requiring six runs from the final six deliveries, Man Of The Match Jamil held his nerve to send down two dot balls to No. 10 batsman Donavan Nelson before having him caught at midwicket attempting a boundary.

Devone Davis, who was left undefeated on 24, spanked the fourth ball to deep extra cover and scampered two but could only achieve a single from the penultimate delivery, to leave his partner Omar Samuels needing a big hit to win the match. Jamil, however, sent down a flatter, faster ball which Samuels failed to negotiate and wicketkeeper Faizan Khan whipped off the bails to end the Windies innings at 217.

Chasing a competitive target after Pakistan were dismissed for 219 off 49.5 overs, West Indies got off to a blistering start thanks to an opening partnership of 68 in just seven overs from openers Kraigg Brathwaite (77) and John Campbell (40).

Campbell was the more aggressive batsmen slamming a quickfire 40 from 20 balls. The well-built left hander cracked six punishing fours and the only six of the match before he was deceived by a slower delivery from fast bowler Syed Abbas. A middle-order collapse followed and the Windies quickly went from 72 for 2 to 102 for 6, in a matter of minutes.

A combination of poor batting and outstanding bowling by leg-spinner Hafiz Uzman Qadir (4-33), were the main reasons for the collapse, as the Windies lost four wickets for 30 runs. Top-scorer Brathwaite and Kyle Mayers (55) kept alive hopes of a West Indies victory as they steadied the innings with a partnership of 76 for the seventh wicket.

Things fell apart, however, when Brathwaite was spectacularly run out with a direct hit from mid-wicket by Jamil to leave the hosts struggling. He stroked five fours in his innings that lasted 112 balls.

Kyle Mayers [55] also went by the run out route, trying to push for runs in the latter part of the innings. He struck six fours from 89 deliveries. Earlier, winning the toss and batting first, Pakistan's total was built around contrasting half centuries from Muhammed Babar [70 in 96 balls] and Muhammed Nawaz.