Pakistan thrash West Indies
karachi — Pakistan thrashed a jet lagged West Indies by 143 runs in their Twenty20 opener on Sunday for the second biggest margin of victory in top-level T20 cricket.
West Indies collapsed in Karachi to its lowest ever T20 score of 60 in 13.4 overs after opting to bowl after only arriving in the country late Saturday night.
Pakistan scored its joint highest T20 score of 203-5.
In reply, West Indies crumbled against Mohammad Amir (2-3), Shoaib Malik (2-13) and Mohammad Nawaz (2-19). “Obviously there will be a bit of jet lag, but I think our performance just wasn’t good enough,” West Indies captain Jason Mohammed said.
Pakistan’s margin of victory was the second best in the shortest format behind Sri Lanka’s 172-run win over Kenya in the 2007 World T20 at Johannesburg.
“Losing three wickets in the first two overs put you in a lot of pressure ... your three top-order batsmen,” Mohammed said. “It’s just for us to get a better start, lay a better foundation and try to build some partnerships.”
Earlier, debutant Hussain Talat top scored with 41 and Shoaib Malik provided the ideal finish with an unbeaten 37 off only 14 balls after West Indies won the toss.
Pakistan’s total matched its previous best of 203-5, scored against Bangladesh in 2008 at the same National Stadium in Karachi, which was hosting an international match after nine years on Sunday.
West Indies’ players looked visibly underprepared on the field after taking a long flight from home and preparing with a 90-minute workout at the stadium before the toss.
Left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul was stretchered off the field and taken to the hospital for precautionary X-rays as he twisted his left ankle in his follow through in his first over.
Talat featured in a 75-run third wicket stand off 49 balls with captain Sarfraz Ahmed (38) before both batsmen fell in successive overs to make it 150-4 in the 17th over.
West Indies had its chances to contain Pakistan’s late acceleration but debutant Keemo Paul (1-26) missed return catches of both Malik and Ashraf off successive deliveries. In the same 18th over, he had earlier clean bowled Pakistan newcomer Asif Ali for just one. —
60 Was the lowest ever T20 score for the West Indies