DHAKA: Defending champions West Indies pummelled Pakistan by 84 runs to set up the World Twenty20 clash against Sri Lanka, here on Tuesday.
Dwayne Bravo (46) and skipper Darren Sammy (42 not out) pulverised a decent bowling attack in the final three overs as West Indies put up an impressive 166 for six and then shot out the opposition for a meagre 82 in 17.5 overs.
It was the biggest win for the Caribbean side in the Twenty20 format.
Leg-spinner Samuel Badree (3-10 in 4 overs) showed why he is so highly-rated as he decimated the Pakistan top order with a controlled effort, mixing the skidders with his googlies.
Sunil Narine (3-16) was too good for the middle and lower order as none of the top-eight crossed 20.
Pakistan lost the momentum in the last three overs when Sammy and Bravo scored 59 runs. After this, West Indies fielders led by Chris Gayle also created relentless pressure on the Pakistan batsmen.
While chasing, Pakistan got off to the worst possible start when left-arm seamer Krishmar Santokie bowled a brilliant bowl first up. It was a sharp inswinging delivery to Ahmed Shehzad (0) which hit him right on the toe of his front foot and umpire Ian Gould adjudged him leg before.
Badree made it two-down in the very next over when Shehzad’s opening partner Kamran Akmal (0) did not reach to the pitch of the delivery and Bravo took a simple catch at mid-off.
The match was as good as over when Umar Akmal (1) was fooled by Badree’s googly as Ramdin complete the stumping. It was 9/3 and Pakistan were down in the dumps.
It only got worse when Shoaib Malik (2) stepped out only to miss a Badree delivery and Ramdin got his second stumping of the night. At the end of the Powerplay, Pakistan were out of the match with the scoreboard reading 13/4.
Sammy rightly bowled out Badree in one spell and he had fantastic figures of 4-0-10-3 to show for his effort.
When Narine came in at the start of the 10th over, Pakistan skipper Hafeez was already batting in Test mode, having scrapped around for 31 deliveries for only 19 in the process.
Earlier, a late blitz from Bravo and Sammy helped the defending champions put up a fighting total.
Bravo smashed 46 off only 26 balls as he took the attack back to the Pakistan camp with his imperious hitting. He struck two fours and four huge sixes.
He was well-supported by Sammy, whose entertaining cameo of 42 was equally important as it helped West Indies reach a decent total after they were tottering on 81/5.
Sammy struck five fours and two sixes in only 20 balls as the last three overs produced an unbelievable 59 runs. The turning point in the West Indies innings was the 18th and 19th overs, bowled by the seasoned duo of Umar Gul (0-29) and Saeed Ajmal (0-41), which produced 45 runs in all. (PTI)
Brief scores:
WI: 166/6, 20 overs (Da Bravo 46, D Sammy 42*; M Hafeez 1-15)
Pak: 82/10, 17.5 overs (M Hafeez 19; S Badree 3-10, S Narine 3-16)