CAPTAIN Carlos Brathwaite smashed a cameo at the death but West Indies struggled to a disappointing total against Pakistan in the first Twenty20 International at Kensington Oval today.
The hosts were restricted to 111 for eight after they were sent in and they needed Brathwaite’s unbeaten 34 off 27 balls to add some respectability to the total after they were reduced to 49 for six.
On a hot, sunny afternoon, a crowd of more than 6 000 was left disappointed after West Indies gradually declined once the first wicket fell via the run out route in the third over.
The Caribbean boys were undermined principally by debutant 18-year-old leg-spinner Shadab Khan, who hardly delivered a bad ball in grabbing three for seven from fours overs of wonderfully controlled bowling.
Captain Carlos Brathwaite rescued West Indies with 34 not out.
West Indies reached 28 for one after five overs and there was no hint that things would fall away that badly until Khan’s first over in which he removed Chadwick Walton and Lendl Simmons.
With wickets falling regularly, the usually big-hitting Kieron Pollard restrained himself in scoring 14 off 27 balls and West Indies had to depend on Brathwaite and Jason Holder to take the total past 100.
The two Barbadians added 37 for the eighth wicket before Holder was dismissed for 14 to the final ball of the innings.
Summarised scores:
West Indies 111-8 off 20 overs (Carlos Brathwaite 34 n.o., Chadwick Walton 18, Kieron Pollard 14, Jason Holder 14, Evin Lewis 10; Shadab Khan 3/7) vs Pakistan. (HG)