Misbah-ul-Haq, Asad Shafiq, and Mohammad Hafeez all coasted to half-centuries as Pakistan clinched a comfortable eight-wicket win over West Indies in the first One-Day International on Saturday.
Misbah hit the top score of an unbeaten 73 from 90 deliveries, and Shafiq supported with 61 not out from 76 balls, after man-of-the-match Hafeez gave the Pakistanis a flying start with 54 from 45 balls in their successful chase of 222 for victory.
Shafiq ushered Pakistan over the finish line with 51 balls remaining when he edged a slog at a delivery from Kemar Roach to third man for a single.
1-0 lead
The result gave Pakistan a 1-0 lead in the five-match series, which continues on Monday at the same Beausejour ground.
Wayward bowling from the visitor in the closing overs had let West Indies finish with 221 for six from 50 overs.
Wahab Riaz was the most successful bowler with two for 62 from 10 overs, but he and fellow left-arm fast-medium bowler Junaid Khan let their side down.
Pakistan's spin bowling triumvirate of Saeed Ajmal, Hafeez and captain Shahid Afridi tied the West Indies batsmen down in the middle overs in particular.
But the two Pakistani left-arm pacers did not have the same control over the home team's batsmen and Darren Bravo hit 67 from 109 balls to lead the way for West Indies.
The third and fourth ODIs will be played on April 28 and May 2 at Kensington Oval in Barbados, with the final match of the series on May 5 at the Guyana National Stadium.
West Indies: L. Simmons c Md. Salman b Ajmal 24, D. Smith lbw b Md. Hafeez 17, Darren Bravo (run out) 67, M. Samuels (run out) 2, K. Edwards c Junaid Khan b Riaz 28, Dwayne Bravo c Afridi b Riaz 14, D. Sammy (not out) 29, C. Baugh (not out) 10, Extras (lb-10, w-17, nb-3) 30; Total (for six wkts. in 50 overs) 221.
Fall of wickets: 1-30, 2-67, 3-77, 4-136, 5-174, 6-177.
Pakistan bowling: Riaz 10-0-62-2, Junaid Khan 10-0-49-0, Md. Hafeez 10-2-36-1, Ajmal 10-2-24-1, Afridi 10-1-40-0.
Pakistan: Md. Hafeez c Sammy b Bishoo 54, A. Shehzad st. Baugh b Bishoo 22, A. Shafiq (not out) 61, Misbah-ul-Haq (not out) 73, Extras (w-11, nb-1) 12; Total (for two wkts. in 41.3 overs) 222.
Fall of wickets: 1-68, 2-88.
West Indies bowling : Roach 9.3-0-58-0, Sammy 7-1-32-0, Russell 5-1-36-0, Dwayne Bravo 8-1-36-0, Bishoo 10-0-48-2, Smith 2-0-12-0.
