Reuters
Pakistan's Kamran Akmal (left) successfully stumps out the West Indies' Marlon Samuels off the bowling of Abdur Rehman (not in picture) during their fifth and final one-day international cricket match at the National Stadium in Karachi yesterday. Samuels made 22.
KARACHI, Pakistan (CMC):
West Indies produced a limp performance in the decisive fifth and final one-day international as Pakistan powered to a seven-wicket victory and a 3-1 series success at the National Stadium yesterday.
Opener Shivnarine Chanderpaul hit 101 from 142 balls but the visitors, sent in, were well short at 238 for seven off 50 overs. Captain Brian Lara stroked 44 off 55 deliveries.
Pacer Rana Naved ul-Hasan produced crucial scalps on his way to a Man-of-the-Match haul of four for 43 off 10 overs. Left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman was again impressive with two for 39 off 10.
Pakistan's pursuit was lifted by an opening stand of 87 between Mohammad Hafeez and Kamran Akmal and the home team was always in charge after that.
Wicketkeeper Akmal lashed nine fours and one six in a boisterous 56 off 59 balls.
Hafeez, who stroked a century in the Test on this ground two weeks ago, just missed out another this time as he fell for 92 off 111 balls.
Yasir Hameed contributed 41 and Shoaib Malik hit an unbeaten 34 off 36 balls.
Pakistan were strengthened by the return of skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq and the record-breaking Mohammad Yousuf but did not need to call on their big guns.
Corey Collymore took one for 44 to lead the West Indian effort, but a perfect pitch and scrappy fielding undermined the tourists.
The Caribbean side again failed to get a start from its openers as Rana Naved broke through early.
Plumb in front
The energetic new ball swinger claimed Chris Gayle for the fourth time in the series with an in-ducker that breached a leaden-footed defensive stroke and caught the left-hander plumb in front.
Mohammad Sami cut short a blossoming stand of 34 between Chanderpaul and Lendl Simmons to further dent the West Indies.
Simmons, who provided some sweet off side strokes, hit three fours in 21 off 35 balls before an off-cutter crashed into leg stump off an inside edged drive.
Marlon Samuels, hero in the fourth match, again looked in good touch and helped the composed Chanderpaul add 51 for the third wicket.
But Samuels fell at a crucial time, undone by a beautifully flighted delivery from Rehman and neatly stumped at 104 for three in the 27th over. Samuels hit three fours in 22 off 37 balls.
Chanderpaul brought up his half century off 83 balls and he and fellow left-hander Lara forged an association that laid the platform for a competitive total.
Lara, without a meaningful score in the ODI series, became the fifth batsman to 10,000 runs when he reached 25 (following Sachin Tendulkar, Inzamam, Sanath Jayasuriya and Sourav Ganguly).
The West Indies seemed well set at 181 for three off 40 overs, but the dismissal of Lara and Chanderpaul's flagging health handicapped the push in the final overs.
Lara was bowled off his pads trying to heave Rana over the leg side moments after Chanderpaul summoned a runner because of a strained leg.
The weakened Chanderpaul could not supply the necessary acceleration towards the end even though he notched his fourth ODI ton.
Denesh Ramdin, dropped the previous ball, chipped a return catch to Rehman and none of the other West Indian could lift the tempo as the Pakistan pacers tightened the grip.
Chanderpaul swung to deep backward square leg and Dwayne Smith was plumb leg before as Rana took his series tally to 11 wickets.
Runako Morton carted a six off Rana as the final over realised 16 runs.
Lara, without Jerome Taylor and Ian Bradshaw who were both rested, surprisingly chose Dwayne Smith ahead of Corey Collymore with the new ball and Hafeez and Akmal were seldom troubled as they laid the winning foundation in a stand of 87 in 16.1 overs.
Akmal was the more authoritative before he swung Collymore to deep backward square leg, but Hafeez and Yasir Hameed put on a further 89 for the second wicket to virtually seal the result.
Both right-handers played with assurance as the West Indian effort flagged.
Yasir gifted his wicket to Chris Gayle as he neared a half century, lifting a catch to long-on.
Hafeez closed in on a century but he, too, fell just before the end as he missed a pull at Mohammed and was leg before.
The 30,000-strong crowd cheered every run as the Pakistanis closed in on victory and it was provided by Abdul Razzaq, who ended on seven not out.
A fireworks display after Inzamam raised the Bank Alfalah Cup also excited the fans, but the West Indies left empty handed as they now head home today.
SCOREBOARD
WEST INDIES
C. Gayle lbw b Naved-ul-Hasan 7
S. Chanderpaul c Yasir b Naved-ul-Hasan 101
L. Simmons b Sami 21
M. Samuels st Akmal b Rehman 22
B. Lara b Rana Naved 44
D. Ramdin c and b Rehman 3
R. Morton not out 14
D. Smith lbw b Naved-ul-Hasan 1
D. Mohammed not out 0
Extras (b1, lb11, w5, nb8) 25
TOTAL (7 wkts, 50 overs) 238
Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-53, 3-104, 4-200, 5-205, 6-217, 7-222.
Did not bat: D. Powell, C. Collymore.
Bowling: Umar Gul 10-0-48-0 (nb2, w1), Naved-ul-Hasan 10-1-43-4 (nb2, w2), Mohammad Sami 10-1-39-1 (w2), Abdul Razzaq 6-1-36-0 (nb4), Abdur Rehman 10-0-39-2, Mohammad Hafeez 4-0-21-0.
PAKISTAN
Mohammad Hafeez lbw b Mohammed 92
Kamran Akmal c sub (Taylor) b Collymore 56
Yasir Hameed c Morton b Gayle 41
Shoaib Malik not out 34
Abdul Razzaq not out 7
Extras (lb2, w4, nb3) 9
TOTAL (3 wkts, 46.5 overs) 239
Fall of wickets: 1-87, 2-176, 3-224.
Did not bat: Mohammad Yousuf, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Abdur Rehman, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, Mohammad Sami, Umar Gul.
Bowling: Powell 10-1-50-0 (nb1), Smith 6-1-32-0 (nb1, w1), Collymore 10-0-44-1, Mohammed 9.5-0-53-1 (w2), Samuels 3-0-17-0
(w1), Gayle 8-0-41-1.
Toss: Pakistan.
Result: Pakistan won by seven wickets and win five-match series 3-1.
Man of the Match: Rana Naved-ul-Hasan.
Man of the Series: Rana Naved-ul-Hasan.
Umpires: Nigel Llong, Asad Rauf.
Third/TV umpire: Riazuddin.
Match referee: Alan Hurst (Australia).
