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December 07, 2006 (Link to Scorecard)

Captain Cool Inzamam-ul-Haq featured in yet another close Pakistan win and he continued his habit of being right till the final runs were scored. The Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad was hosting an ODI under lights for the first time in its history and the crowd that had come in huge number couldn't have asked for a better cricket match. They didn't get to see the big sixes and the smashing boundaries, but they got to see most importantly an even contest between both sides who fought right till the end. Credit should go to Brian Lara's West Indies who forced Pakistan to struggle in chasing a paltry target of 152. It required a gem of an innings from Inzy to steer his side to a two-wicket win with his side made to battle hard for as many as 48.2 overs to get to the target!

Inzamam had scored 83 50s and 10 100s in his long one-day career but today's knock of 42 not out from 86 balls was one of his best, one which was worth in gold. It was an innings that saved Pakistan from sliding to a defeat despite a good show by its bowlers in the first half. Inzy walked in calmly when the score was at 50 for 3 following a shaky start from the top three batsmen. He wasn't in the greatest of nicks with just the one fifty coming in the 3-Test Series. But there was a sense of steadiness in the way he got forward and back in countering the moving ball. He put on a 30-run stand with Younis Khan before the latter was bounced out by a short delivery from Jerome Taylor. Inzamam followed this partnership with another 30-run stand with Shoaib Malik which was indeed getting Pakistan closer to the 151 but anytime Windies could have been in a great position of winning had they got the wicket of Inzamam. The two all rounders - Shoaib Malik and Abdul Razzaq fell in quick time leaving all the mantle on the broad shoulders of their skipper.

The required run rate was never a problem but with 33 runs to win with just four wickets in hand at the fall of Razzaq's wicket, the crowd had become quiet and tensed up. But one man was going trough his job with ease and that was the Pakistani Skipper who had seen all this having played in over 350 ODIs! He did lose two more of his partners at the other end in Rana Naved at 130 for 7 and then debutant Abdur Rehman at 147 for 8. But Inzamam made sure that he remained there and the West Indies bowlers just couldn't get anything past his bat, they could keep him quiet though for sometime. His partnership with the left handed Abdur Rehman was the most crucial one as this was the time West Indies were in great control of what they were doing in their bowling and fielding. Abdur Rehman was dropped by a nervous Denesh Ramdin off Ian Bradshaw with Pak requiring 9 to win with two wickets in hand. Ramdin did make up for his sin when he had caught an edge offered by the same batsman against Jerome Taylor. The difference between the two chances was four runs which was a vital one in this kind of a low scoring affair. Inzamam finished the match in grand style in pulling a quick short delivery from Jerome Taylor to the boundary to open Pakistan's account in this 5-match Bank Alfalah Cup. Inzamam's 42 had come with four boundaries, so there was quite a bit of running for the big man as the outfield was very heavy and not giving the value for the shots.

If the West Indies' bastmen batted their side out of the game in the afternoon, then their bowlers bowled them back in the game which was a truly remarkable feat, one which was well appreciated by a sportive crowd. All the bowlers did their job well with the stand out ones being Jerome Taylor with 3 for 39 and Corey Collymore who finished with 3 for just 19! The dew did make it difficult for Chris Gayle (0 for 26 in 8 overs) to grip the ball but he did manage to shut the run flow to let things happen at the other end.

It was a good toss won by Inzamam early on and he put West Indies to bat first on a chilling day which was perfectly suited for the seam bowlers. Abdur Rehman, the 26-year-old who has good amount of first class experience finally got his break while Windies presented debut to Lendl Simmons who was in for the unfit Shivnarine Chanderpaul. Daren Ganga came in for Ramnaresh Sarwan. The Pakistan side was without Mohammad Yousuf, their best batsman in the recent times, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan got an opportunity in his place. It was a great start for the new ball bowlers Umar Gul and Rana Naved who got rid of the two openers - Simmons and Chris Gayle with hardly anything on the scoreboard. After some repair work from Ganga (21), the no.3 and the no.4 Marlon Samuels, West Indies fell apart playing some loose cricket. The flurry of wickets also included that of captain Brian Lara's. It was a mix up with Samuels that had left Lara stranded in the middle in an attempt to get a non existent single. Windies slumped to 79 for 6 in the 32nd over when Samuels departed having made an 86-ball 37.

Windies' innings was dragged on by a 57-run stand between Runako Morton and wicket keeper Denesh Ramdin which eventually gave the fighting chance for their team with the ball. Morton coming in at no.7 made 43 while Ramdin struck 23 which included a pick up shot for six off Rana Naved. West Indies were bowled out for 151 with one ball to go in their quota of 50 overs. Abdur Rehman got good turn to aid his disciplined line and length to finish with tidy figures of 2 for 20 in his 10 which included two maidens. Umar Gul and Rana Naved also picked up two wickets. The third match is on the 10th at the Gaddafi Stadium which is also a day night game.

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