Pakistan beat WI in second ODI, seal series: Records broken
The Pakistan cricket team successfully defended a total of 275 runs versus West Indies in the second ODI in Multan on Friday. Pakistan rode on superb half-centuries from Imam-ul-Haq and Babar Azam to post 275/8 in 50 overs. In response, West Indies lost wickets at regular intervals to be bowled out (155/10). With this victory, Pakistan have sealed the ODI series.
Pakistan lost the wicket of Fakhar Zaman early on before the in-form duo of Imam and Babar added a valiant century-plus stand. From 145/1, Pakistan lost wickets at key moments to be reduced to 207/6. Key knocks down the order helped the side get past 270. In response, WI suffered a collapse and surrendered the match.
Babar slammed 77 from 93 balls. Against Australia this year, Babar registered scores of 57, 114, and 105*. He scored a terrific 103-run knock in the first ODI versus the Windies before making 77 today. Prior to these five knocks, he had hit 158 versus England in Birmingham (July 2021). Babar's last six ODI knocks have been 77, 103, 105*, 114, 57, 158.
Babar is averaging a stellar 122.80 in these last six matches. This was Babar's 19th ODI fifty and a maiden one versus WI. Notably, he has five centuries versus WI, scoring 716 runs in nine games at an astounding average of 89.50. Overall in ODIs, Babar has piled up 4,441 runs at 60.01. He has a prolific strike rate of 90.28.
In the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup Super League, Babar is the only batter with 1,000-plus runs. He has amassed 1,082 runs at an astonishing 90.16. He has registered six hundreds and four fifties. He has smashed the most fours as well (114).
Like Babar, Pakistan opener Imam has now hammered six successive fifty-plus scores in ODIs. His scores in the last six ODI innings read as 72, 65, 89*, 106, 103, 56. Imam is averaging 98.20 in these six ODI matches.
Mohammad Nawaz was excellent for Pakistan, claiming four wickets for just 19 runs from his 10 overs. Playing his 18th ODI match, Nawaz has raced to 25 scalps. This is now his best figures in ODI cricket and a second four-wicket haul as well. Shadab Khan claimed 2/40 from nine overs. He has raced to 65 scalps in ODI cricket.
Imam-ul-Haq slammed 72 from 72 balls. He smashed six fours. Imam has raced to 2,458 runs in ODIs at 54.62. This was his 13th ODI fifty. In three games versus WI, Imam has 139 runs at 46.33. This was his second ODI fifty versus WI.
