full on leg stump, Alam makes room and drives it wide of mid on for a single. Pakistan win!! What a match. 17 needed off the final over, and two big hits from Akmal swings it Pakstan's way.
West Indies vs Pakistan, 1st ODI at Abu Dhabi, Nov 12 2008 - Ball by Ball Commentary
RESULT
1st ODI (D/N), Abu Dhabi, November 12, 2008, Pakistan v West Indies ODI Series
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A superb finish to the inaugural match of this ODI series. Gayle bowled a brilliant 49th over, conceding just 6 runs but Kamran Akmal hit two big sixes in the final over to settle the game for Pakistan! The Pakistanis are rejoicing on the field and so they should, it's their first game in over four months, and after all the turmoil that has affected their cricket, this victory will come as big morale booster.
Chris Gayle was the star for West Indies with both bat and ball. He scored a brisk century and followed that performance up with some tight bowling in Pakistan's final few overs. However, some erratic bowling towards the end, and Akmal's heroics, thanks to some meaty length balls bowled in the final over, saw Pakistan sneak through to a fantastic win, just when it seemed the Windies had it wrapped up.
Shoaib Malik played a captain's innings, a pacy 66 off just 50 balls to keep Pakistan in the hunt throughout their innings. However, when he fell with the score on 262, West Indies most certainly had the edge. But they threw it away as they buckled under pressure, conceding overthrows, missing half-chances, and misfielding, to allow Pakistan to edge past them.
Chris Gayle: "I thought it was a good game. Pakistan paced their innings very well. We should have got a few more runs. I'll pick Taylor to bowl the last over any day, it was just one of his off days I guess. Younis Khan and Shoaib Malik batted brilliantly. Hopefully we'll have a good game again in the next couple of days."
Gayle is also the Man of the Match.
Shoaib Malik: "We haven't played international cricket in a while, but the way our batsmen played today, especially Akmal, it was brilliant. It was a team effort, the way we batted, bowled, and fielded. I had been playing in the Pentangular tournament, and so were many of my team mates, and that really helped. We have to assess Shiab Akhtar's fitness before we can confirm his availability for the next match."
Well, That's it folks. What a riveting start to the series, and hopefully we'll watch something equally exciting on the 14th when these two teams meet again.
Until then, it's adios from Siddhartha Talya on the commentary and Binoy George on the scoring desk. Goodnight!!
49.5
1
Taylor to Fawad Alam, 1 run
1 off 2. Pakistan should win this from here
49.4
3
Taylor to Kamran, 3 runs
on a good length on middle, Akmal swings it away wide of mid wicket where the fielder dives to pull off a good save. But an overthrow allows the batsmen another run, three taken in all. West Indies have thrown it away here!!
4 off 3
49.3
6
Taylor to Kamran, SIX runs
six six six. short of a good length outside off, Akmal makes room and slices that one over deep point for a massive six!! Pakistan are back in this!! What a match
10 off 4
49.2
6
Taylor to Kamran, SIX runs
big one!! full outside off, a length ball that deserves the treatment, Akmal lofts that over long off for a big six!!
49.1
1
Taylor to Fawad Alam, 1 run
full outside the off, tries to strike that powerfully over long off, does not connect it well, lands to the fielder on the bounce
17 needed off the last over
end of over 496 runs
PAK: 278/6CRR: 5.67 • RRR: 17.00
Fawad Alam24 (23b 1x4)
Kamran Akmal9 (6b 1x6)
Chris Gayle 6-0-33-0
Jerome Taylor 9-0-37-2
48.6
1
Gayle to Fawad Alam, 1 run
low full toss outside off, the batsman has no chance to dispatch that one, excellent length, all he can do is push it to mid off
48.5
1
Gayle to Kamran, 1 run
low fulltoss on the off yet again, comes down the track and drives it to deep extra cover. What an over this has been
48.4
•
Gayle to Kamran, no run
full outside off stump, Akmal tries to drive that one through the off side, that was bowled on a yorker length, Baugh takes off the bauls and appeals. The appeal is being referred. He's in.. Not out.
48.3
1
Gayle to Fawad Alam, 1 run
fulltoss outside off stump, played uppishly to long on.
48.3
2nb
Gayle to Kamran, (no ball)
bowled off a no-ball!! What a mistake Gayle has committed!! He's overstepped and bowled the batsman off a good length ball on the off stump. free hit coming!!
They need a big one now.
48.2
1
Gayle to Fawad Alam, 1 run
low full toss on leg stump, driven down the ground to long on
48.1
•
Gayle to Fawad Alam, no run
full outside off stump, driven back to the bowler. Good ball
Gayle to bowl the 49th over. 23 needed off 12
end of over 4810 runs • 1 wicket
PAK: 272/6CRR: 5.66 • RRR: 11.50
Kamran Akmal8 (3b 1x6)
Fawad Alam21 (19b 1x4)
Jerome Taylor 9-0-37-2
Chris Gayle 5-0-27-0
47.6
6
Taylor to Kamran, SIX runs
bowled from behind the wicket, that was a slower ball outside leg stump, Kamran Akmal picks it up and deposits it over the fine-leg boundary for a crucial six! What a shot. This match will be settled in the final over
47.5
1
Taylor to Fawad Alam, 1 run
good length on the leg stump, pushed to mid on
47.4
1
Taylor to Kamran, 1 run
slower ball on middle and off, swung away, mistimed rather, to mid wicket
47.3
1
Taylor to Fawad Alam, 1 run
full, yorker length outside off, good ball, driven to mid off, single taken
32 needed off 16. The Windies have the edge, but you never know
47.2
1
Taylor to Kamran, 1 run
slower ball outside off, guided to third man
Kamran Akmal comes in
47.1
W
Taylor to Malik, OUT
gone!! Malik goes!! What a wicket. That was bowled on a good length outside off, Malik tries to swing that one over mid wicket, but finds Shivnarine Chanderpaul stationed there exactly for that shot, right at the edge of the circle. Malik plays a brilliant hand, but did he make enough?
Shoaib Malik c Chanderpaul b Taylor 66 (50b 6x4 1x6 74m) SR: 132
Jerome Taylor to bowl. Important over coming up.
end of over 476 runs
PAK: 262/5CRR: 5.57 • RRR: 11.00
Shoaib Malik66 (49b 6x4 1x6)
Fawad Alam19 (17b 1x4)
Chris Gayle 5-0-27-0
Lionel Baker 9-0-47-3
46.6
1
Gayle to Malik, 1 run
low full toss on the leg stump, makes room and drives that one straight to mid wicket, gets a single for his troubles.
34 needed off 19. What a cracker of a match this has been.
46.5
1
Gayle to Fawad Alam, 1 run
full toss on middle and leg, pushed away to deep point.
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