WI emphatic in opening win

Brian Lara called for the West Indies youth to step up to play, and his wish was emphatically met as the host nation stormed to a 54-run win over Pakistan in the opening fixture of the 2007 World Cup. The less experienced heads of the West Indies team stole the spotlight in the emphatic performance.

The West Indies recovered from an uncertain start to post 241-9, then limited Pakistan to 187 all out with an exceptional display of bowling and fielding. Lara’s men were electric in the field, led by Dwayne Smith, whose 3 wickets forced Pakistan firmly on the back foot and rounded off a Man of the Match performance.

Inzamam-ul-Haq would have hoped for much more assistance when he inserted the West Indies, but was rewarded with some astute new ball bowling by Umar Gul. Gul removed Chris Gayle for 2 to set Pakistan off to the ideal start. A ball later he could have had Sarwan, but the right-hander was missed at slip. Instead he cashed in for 49 runs, then was caught at slip, driving at a near identical delivery.

Match-fixing controversy seemed a distant concern, and Samuels was the most impressive contributor of the innings. His 63 came from 70 balls and gave the innings impetus after a cautious start. Batting with Lara, Samuels grew in confidence and rose to the challenge of attacking the bowlers, smashing the generally miserly Iftikhar Anjum for a straight six, then a lofted boundary. When he desired to tackle Danish Kaneria’s legspin, it was to the effect of two fours and a six in an over. Lara took a different approach, building his innings of 37, but stepping out for the occasional booming stroke in his 56-ball knock.

The partnership steadily took shape, and a score of 77-3 became a more certain 168-4 at the end of the union. Lara had been dropped shortly before by Kamran Akmal, but walked when he nicked to the Pakistan wicketkeeper off the bowling of Hafeez. With the dismissal came an unsettling collapse, and Samuels and Ramdin followed in quick succession. The pair of Dwaynes who became acquainted at 183-6, with the West Indies in danger of squandering a solid platform. Bravo and Smith set about to ensure a competitive total.

All the burdens of poor form lay on the shoulders of Smith when it came his turn to bat, but he shrugged them aside and played the innings of sorts that his talent merits. Smith launched 2 sixes and 3 fours in his 15-ball stay, adding a vital 32 to the total before he miscued a hit off Gul. It was a refreshing innings and shifted the momentum back to the court of the West Indies, where it would remain until match end. Corey Collymore emphatically confirmed the shift with a baseball swat for six off the final ball of the innings, and the West Indies wrapped a rally of 57 runs in the final 5 overs of their innings.

Pakistan sought to sway the balance back into their court and sent Imran Nazir and Mohammad Hafeez to start the approach. The two posed contrasting styles, but similarly failed. Nazir (6) cut the second ball of the innings from Daren Powell for six, then nicked to Ramdin a ball later. Instead Hafeez laboured for his 11 runs, facing 28 balls, then chipped loosely to Lara at midon. Having dismissed Younis Khan (9) between the two, the West Indies rallied together with Pakistan at 39-3.

The confidence of early successes ensured a truly engaged crowd, great in voice and support, and the West Indies grew from strength to impressively economical strength. All the seamers bowled with outstanding accuracy and strangled the potent threat of Mohammad Yousuf and Inzamam-ul-Haq in partnership. Neither was able to expand and tackle the target with any conviction.

Then posing the choice of a master, Lara invited Smith into the attack to immediate and telling effect. He bowled no more than medium pace, but did so with good accuracy and great effect. First he frustrated Yousuf (37 from 72 balls) with a succession of deliveries, then dismissed him edging to Ramdin. The breakthrough lifted the West Indies to greater heights, and Smith beat Inzamam (36 from 65 balls) soon after to have him trapped lbw. Kamran Akmal contributed nothing and was caught well by Bravo a ball later, setting Smith on a hat-trick and Pakistan on the slide – 116 for 6.

Shoaib Malik was left to achieve the seeming impossible and score the lion’s share of a required 126 from 18 overs. Though he did admirably with 62 from 54 balls, the West Indies never released their grip and continued to be electric in the field. Bravo pressed toward the victory with intelligent changes of pace, yorker length deliveries, and 3 wickets. More memorable than any was his dismissal of Gul. A stunning left-handed grab off his own bowling secured the penultimate dismissal of the innings.

Two balls were all Collymore needed to entice Malik into a big shot in the following over, and Chanderpaul made no mistake in clutching on to the opportunity at long-off. The West Indies raced into a huddle and celebrated a great win, and a fitting start to a much-anticipated World Cup tournament. There were questions surrounding form and the pressures of hosting piled upon the Caribbean side before the game. But one convincing win later and it is clear that the West Indies are keen on the challenge.

West Indies 241-9
Marlon Samuels 63, Ramnaresh Sarwan 49, Brian Lara 37
Iftikhar Anjum 3-44, Umar Gul 2-38, Mohammad Hafeez 2-39

Pakistan 187 all out
Shoaib Malik 62, Mohammad Yousuf 37, Inzamam-ul-Haq 36
Dwayne Smith 3-36, Dwayne Bravo 3-42, Daren Powell 2-42

West Indies won by 54 runs.

Man of the Match: Dwayne Smith