Rain and Simmons end Windies losing run

Mohammad Hafeez’ second career hundred was upstaged by rain and a blistering 76 from Lendl Simmons that condemned Pakistan to a one-run defeat under the Duckworth-Lewis Method in the fourth One-day International on Monday.

Pakistan were left to nurse their wounds, when the inclement weather that has dogged this island over the last week interrupted, as West Indies were chasing a revised target of 223 from 39 overs.

For the West Indies it ended a run of eight straight defeats in this format of the game by Pakistan and a recent run of six successive defeats against all opposition.

A short ball from Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi was swung high over mid-wicket for six by Dwayne Bravo to formally carry West Indies to 154 for four - the exact total they required - from 29.5 overs under the D/L Method to claim their first victory of the series.

Pakistan lead the five-match series 3-1 with the final ODI to be played on Thursday at the Guyana National Stadium.

Pakistan had stumbled, after Hafeez struck seven fours and three sixes in the top score of 121 from 138 deliveries, and shared a century second-wicket stand with Asad Shafiq to lead the visitors to 248 for nine from their allocation of 50 overs.

After the Pakistanis were sent into bat on a hard, true Kensington Oval pitch under overcast skies, Hafeez anchored the batting, and reached his milestone from 128 balls with a flick through mid-wicket for a single off Ravi Rampaul in the 42nd over.

He added 153 for the second wicket with Shafiq, whose 71 from 102 balls contained four boundaries, before leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo continued to bowl impressively, taking three for 37 from his allotment of 10 overs to trigger a batting collapse.

BRIDGETOWN, AFP