Snatched win from jaws of defeat - Malik

Shoaib Malik, the Pakistan captain, has said Kamran Akmal, with his last-over heroics that allowed Pakistan to edge past West Indies in the first ODI, had "snatched a win from the jaws of defeat".

Pakistan were chasing 295 and needed 17 off the last over bowled by Jerome Taylor. Fawad Alam managed a single off the first delivery after which Akmal reduced the pressure by hitting sixes off the next two. The batsmen ran three off the fourth ball before Alam wrapped it up with a single off the penultimate delivery.

"Even when I was batting I had the feeling that Akmal is to come and I had full confidence that he can do something extraordinary," Malik said. Akmal arrived at the crease at the fall of Malik's wicket with Pakistan needing 33 to win off 17 balls.

Chris Gayle, the West Indies captain, said Taylor's final over was where the match turned around. "We made 294 so there were no complaints, then they batted well until the end and it didn't just come good for Taylor in the last over," Gayle said.

The teams meet for the second ODI on Friday, followed by the third on Sunday.