Pakistan defeats West Indies by 5 wickets to take 1-0 lead

FLORIDA: Pakistan defeated the West Indies by 5 wickets in the first match of the 3-match ODI series to take a 1-0 lead in the series.

Pakistan won the toss and decided to field first. West Indies were bowled out for 280 runs in 49 overs.

Evin Lewis was the top scorer with 60 runs, while captain Shai Hope scored 55 and Roston Chase scored 53 runs.

Rutherford of the West Indies team was dismissed for 10, Gudakesh Moti for 31 runs, while Shemar Joseph scored 8 and Shepherd scored 4 runs, and thus the entire West Indies team was dismissed for 280 runs in 49 overs.

Shaheen Shah Afridi bowled brilliantly and took 4 wickets, Naseem Shah took 3, and Saim Ayub, Sufyan Muqim, and Salman Agha took one wicket each.

In pursuit of the target, Pakistan batted confidently and achieved the target of 281 runs in the 49th over for the loss of 5 wickets.

Debutant Hassan Nawaz scored 63 runs in a brilliant performance, while Hussain Talat remained not out with 41 runs.

Before the match, team manager Naveed Akram Cheema presented Hassan Nawaz with his ODI debut cap.

Pakistan’s starting XI included Abdullah Shafiq, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Muhammad Rizwan, Salman Agha, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah and Sufyan Muqim.

Pakistan now leads the three-match series by one-nil, with the Green Shirts having a chance to clinch the series by winning the second ODI.