Nine in a row as Pakistan takes Series

Shoaib!!!
By Faraz Shaukat
February 22 2002

Pakistan's young guns Shoaib Malik and Muhammad Sami inspired Pakistan to a sensational 51 runs win over the West Indies in the second match of the Pepsi One-day series here on Friday night at the Sharjah Stadium.

A maiden one-day hundred from man of the match Shoaib Malik and a sensational hat-trick from Muhammad Sami set up the win and allowed Pakistan to take the series, after West Indies appeared to be cruising to an upset win chasing a target of 233 runs.

Opener Chris Gayle had flayed the Pakistan bowlers in making a quick fire 62 from 46 balls to lead his team to a winning position of 1 for 101 in only 14.2 overs. But after Malik's fantastic 111 runs from 130 balls earlier in the day, it was the turn of the Pakistani bowlers in particular the 20 year Sami from Karachi to produce a Houdini like act, as first they reduced West Indies to 5 for 133 in 23 overs and than the last five wickets fell for only three runs. West Indies started the 33rd over on 178 for 5 and in 10 balls had been bowled out for 181 in 34.4 overs.

Sami snaring the last three wickets on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th balls of his eight over and the 35th of the innings to record the fourth hat-trick at this ground. His dream spell came after having been hit around for 44 runs and having bowled 7 no-balls in seven overs. Sami's hat trick tonight was the first at this ground after Aaqib Javed recorded a hat-trick against India in October 1991. The two other hat-tricks have been taken by Wasim Akram, who was rested for today's match after playing the first match on Thursday.

Inzamam-ul-Haq, already going through a bad patch was surprisingly sent into open the innings with Shahid Afridi and Malik was promoted up the order to number four. But the 20-year-old youngster from Lahore playing in his 21st ODI and only his 12th innings vindicated his captain's faith in him by anchoring the Pakistan innings with a career best 111 runs, as Pakistan collapsed to 4 for 54 in 17 overs at one stage.

Following opener Darren Ganga's departure Gayle, the 22-year-old Jamaican left-hander playing his 41st match and Wavell Hinds butchered the bowling. Gayle in particular going after Shoaib Akhtar and Waqar with some audacious strokes as he completed his 50 in only 32 balls with 6 fours and three huge sixers. The West Indies 50 of the innings coming up in 6.4 overs. Sami brought in as first change didn't make much of an impression going for 22 in 3 overs, but it was Razzaq who applied the brakes at the other end by controlling Gayle's free stroke play.

The West Indies were still in with a chance when Ryan Hinds and Shivnarine Chanderpaul lifted the score to 178 for five in the 34th over, but it was not long before the rot send in. Versatile all-rounder Abdul Razzaq removed both batsmen in one over, setting the stage for a grand finale by Sami.

With Pakistan having also won the first one-dayer, the last match on Sunday holds only academic interest.