da bet nacional： St George’s (Grenada), April 17: Pakistan made a valiant attempt toreach a difficult target of 249 but failed by 17 runs to beat WestIndies in the last preliminary round fixture of the triangular seriesat the Queen’s Park Stadium here on Sunday
da betway： Qamar Ahmed18-Apr-2000St George’s (Grenada), April 17: Pakistan made a valiant attempt toreach a difficult target of 249 but failed by 17 runs to beat WestIndies in the last preliminary round fixture of the triangular seriesat the Queen’s Park Stadium here on Sunday.Pakistan were all out for 231 in 48.1 overs as West Indies finishedthe league rounds with four victories in as many matches. The defeat,however, does not affect Pakistan’s position in the series as they hadalready booked their place n the best-of-three finals against the WestIndies. The finals get underway from Wednesday at Bridgetown, followedby two more ties in Port-of-Spain next Saturday and, if required,Sunday.Pakistan will have to perform a lot better with the bat than they havedone so far. There seems to be an eternal weakness in their battingapproach and unless they are able to apply themselves with much morepurpose and determination they may struggle against the West Indianbowling which has suddenly started to show its old dominance. ReonKing, Franklyn Rose and Nixon McLean are looking quite dangerous andwith Curtly Ambrose coming to join them in the finals things could beeven more formidable for Pakistan.King picked up three wickets for 38 on Sunday, followed by McLean twofor 47 and off-spinner Nehemiah Perry two for 54. Pakistan, havinglost three for 24, were well served by Inzamam-ul-Haq and YousufYouhana, who between them put on a sizeable stand of 123 for thefourth wicket, to offer some hope. Inzamam made 69 off 95 balls withfive fours while Youhana hit 56 off 77 balls with three boundaries.Imran Nazir lost his wicket to King while going for a big hit after hehad striking the bowler for a huge six. Mohammad Wasim, playing forthe first time on the tour, was run out after being sent back byWajahatuallh Wasti without scoring. Wasti soon followed when Kingyorked him for 10. That made Pakistan 24 for three in the 9th over.Inzamam and Youhana then salvaged the innings with a mixture ofsensible and purposeful batting. It looked rosy for Pakistan as longas they were together. But the stand was broken when Inzamam failed toreach his crease after stroking the ball into the covers. Rose, in hisfollow through, picked up the ball and hit the stumps with Inzamamstranded. Youhana reached his fifty with three fours off 71 balls butminutes later he drove uppishly and was brilliantly held by a divingJimmy Adams for 56.At 162 for five in the 37th over, the run rate had already crept overseven runs an over. Abdur Razzaq and skipper Moin Khan put on 38 forthe sixth wicket in an enterprising batting display but it was all invain as the wickets kept falling. Razzaq (24) was bowled byMan-of-the-Match Reon King 24 and Moin’s resistance ended when helobbed one in the air off Perry to Rose at long-on in the 44thover. Pakistan lost their last six wickets for 84 runs in 13.4 overs.Earlier, West Indies made 248 for six after Jimmy Adams won thetoss. Opener Sherwin Campbell contributed 56 off 89 balls with fivefours and one six, Wavell Hinds 24 and Chris Gayle 42 off 49balls. But the real cameo was provided in the last ten overs whenRicardo Powell and Ridley Jacobs put on 62 for the sixth wicket in 50balls to accelerate the run rate to over five an over after WestIndies looked like struggling for runs at 170 for five in the 41stover.Powell bludgeoned 50 off only 36 balls with two sixes and a four. Inthe last ten overs Pakistani bowlers conceded 84 runs.Young IrfanFazil, who was included in the place of Wasim Akram, was unable tocontrol his line and length in an effort to bowl quicker on a slowtrack. In his first three overs, Irfan gave away 24 runs.Pakistan also made two other changes, opting for Wajahatullah Wastiand Mohammad Wasim instead of Shahid Afridi and Younis Khan.
