Misbah unlucky to miss century:

West Indies win by 2 wickets

Aggressive bowling by Pakistan pace trio:

Elmo Rodrigopulle Reporting From England

In a nail biting finish West Indies beat Pakistan by two wickets in a Group ‘B’ ICC Champions Trophy game at the Kennington Oval, here today. In reply to the Pakistan score of 170, West Indies made 172 for 8 with 56 balls to spare.

When the Windies began their chase of 171 for victory 15 minutes late because of slight drizzle it looked an easy one considering their strong batting line, but they never bargained for some aggressive bowling by the Pakistan pace trio of Mohammed Irfan, Junaid Khan and Wahab Riaz.

Knowing that they don’t have much runs to play with, the pace trio with good support from off spinner Saeed Ajmal strangled the batsmen who like to give the ball a big tonk.

The usually belligerent Chris Gayle looked like pale ale remaining stroke less at times defending and unable to put bat to ball as his 39 runs in 47 balls will show. He was bamboozled and bowled by a clever doosra from Seed Ajmal.

Brilliant unbeaten 96

A brilliant unbeaten 96 from Captain Misbah Ul Haq after an early collapse and stand of 90-runs stand between him and Nasir Jamshaid Haq for the fourth wicket helped Pakistan to struggle to 170 in 48 overs.

Misbah who ran short of partners had 5 fours and 3 sixes in a 127-ball knock. The Pakistanis lost their last 7 wickets for 65 runs in 18.5 overs.

The Pakistani batsmen lacked discipline and some of them just threw away their wickets.

After Jamshaid went for 50, Misbah gallantly stuck it out against the pace and spin when wickets were falling around him to make an admirable 96 with eight fours and a six in balls.

Pakistan and Windies cricket fans were lining up from early morning to get into the ground and pick a vantage point to take in the exciting action that was expected to unfold. Pakistan fans outnumbered the Windies fans.

Sun was out

The weather in London remains good and the sun was out when captains Dwayne Bravo and Misbah walked out to toss. The coin turned Bravo’s way and asked Pakistan in to bat on a wicket that had a tinge of grass on it which was going to help the seam bowlers.

And when the Pakistanis batted they ran into a pace blitz from ‘black lightning’ Kemar Roach who knocked the sails out of the early Pakistan batting by stuffing Imran Farhart 2, Mohammed Hafeez 4 and Asad Shafiq 0 to have them at 15 for 3.

Roach who was bowling with a lot of pace and fire bowled a good line and length and getting the ball to climb off a good length had the early batsmen, struggling and when Bravo took him off his figures were sensational – 6-4-7-3.

Misbah dropped at nought

Then a 90-run stand between Nasir Jamshad and Captain Misbah who was dropped at nought took the score to 105 when Jamshad after completing his half century in 95 balls with 5 fours went followed by Sohaib Malik 0 and Kamran Akmal 2 followed to have Pakistan struggling again on 110 for 6.

The bowler who broke the stand and followed with two other wickets was that spinning sensation with a variety of spin Sunil Narine. His doosra is his main wicket taking weapon.

Then Wahab Riaz and Saeed Ajmal went run out and Pakistan slid to 136 for 8.

Ria was unfortunate to see bower Bravo deflect a ball to the wicket and then Ajmal dashed down to see a good return to Rampaul saw him stranded

Junaid Khan popped a slow ball from Bravo for Chris Gayle to jump high in basketball style and grab the catch. The last man out was Irafan.

Kemar Roach and Sunil Narine who completed their quota of 10 overs had 3 for 28 and 3 for 34 respectively.

Kenningon Oval, London, Friday.