GROS ISLET, Saint Lucia: Misbahul Haq, Asad Shafiq, and Mohammad Hafeez all coasted to half-centuries as Pakistan clinched a comfortable eight-wicket win over West Indies in the first One-Day International Saturday. Misbah hit the top score of an unbeaten 73 from 90 deliveries, and Shafiq supported with 61 not out from 76 balls, after Man-of-the-Match Hafeez gave Pakistan a flying start with 54 from 45 balls in their successful chase of 222 for victory. Shafiq ushered Pakistan over the finish line with 51 balls remaining when he edged a slog at a delivery from Kemar Roach to third man for a single. The result gave Pakistanis a 1-0 lead in the five-match series, which continues Monday at the same Beausejour ground. Wayward bowling from the visitors in the closing overs had let West Indies finish with 221 for six from their 50 overs. Wahab Riaz was the most successful bowler with two for 62 from 10 overs, but he and fellow left-arm fast-medium bowler Junaid Khan let their side down. Pakistan's spin bowling triumvirate of Saeed Ajmal, Hafeez and captain Shahid Afridi tied the West Indies batsmen down in the middle overs in particular. But the two Pakistani left-arm pacers did not have the same control over the home team's batsmen and Darren Bravo hit 67 from 109 balls to lead the way for West Indies. Hafeez and Ahmed Shehzad then gave the visitors a blistering start in an opening stand of 68 before Devendra Bishoo snared both of them in the space of 25 balls to end with two for 48 from his 10 overs. Shehzad moving down the pitch was stumped for 22 in the 13th over off the leg-spinner, and Hafeez, whose 50 came from 48 balls, was caught at short mid-wicket in the 17th over off the same bowler. Misbah joined Shafiq and they marched Pakistan to victory with an unbroken, third-wicket stand of 134. Misbah reached his 50 from 63 balls with a pull to deep square leg for a single off Sammy in the 35th over, and Shafiq arrived at his landmark from 66 balls with an upper-cut to third man for four off Dwayne Bravo in the 39th over. The third and fourth ODIs will be played on April 28 and May 2 at Kensington Oval in Barbados, with the final match of the series on May 5 at the Guyana National Stadium. – Agence France
