WI hurt by loss
The West Indies need to put the unexpected last over defeat behind them and press hard for victory in the second one-day match against Pakistan here on Friday, captain Chris Gayle said.
West Indies snatched defeat from the jaws of victory when their frontline paceman Jerome Taylor conceded 17 off the 50th over to allow Pakistan to sneak a four-wicket win in the first match on Wednesday.
Wicketkeeper batsman Kamran Akmal was Pakistan's hero, hitting Taylor for two sixes to help his team chase a daunting 295-run target set by the West Indies, aided by an aggressive 113 from Gayle.
Despite the disappointment, Gayle hoped the West Indies would do their best to level the three-match series.
"We are positive despite being hurt, because we have two games left and need to come up with a better plan for a victory," said Gayle on Thursday.
It was the West Indian skipper who set the platform for a big total with a 125-run opening stand with Sewnarine Chattergoon, who made 33.
Pakistan rode on half centuries from opener Khurrum Manzoor (69), Shoaib Malik (66) and Younus Khan (56) before Akmal (24) and Fawad Alam (26) pulled off an unlikely win.
Gayle said his team did nothing wrong but an unfortunate last over let the match slip.
"Our bowlers bowled well, especially the debutant (Lionel) Baker did well under pressure," said Gayle of the 24-year-old paceman, who took 3-47 to nearly derail Pakistan.
Gayle justified bowling Taylor at the end.
"What happened was that I bowled one over and Taylor was supposed to come and replace me, but I bowled a good 47th over so I continued and he was left to bowl the last over. It was unfortunate for him that he conceded 17 runs."
Pakistani bowlers too struggled against a rampaging Gayle, who hit 11 boundaries and five sixes during his 17th one-day hundred.
Assistant coach Aaqib Javed said it was tough when Gayle was in full flow.
"It's tough to bowl when Gayle is on," said Javed, himself a former paceman. "But I think our batsmen were focused and did not give until the end and we now look for a 3-0 win."
Pakistan were left waiting on the fitness of frontline paceman Shoaib Akhtar, who missed the first match due to a calf muscle injury.
Javed said Akhtar was recovering well.
"He (Akhtar) bowled seven overs in two spells on Thursday but it's an internal injury and only Akhtar himself knows how he is feeling. We will wait until Friday morning to reassess his fitness," said Javed.
The third and final match is on Sunday.
Comments