Thursday, 18 July 2013 00:00
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Reuters: Half-brothers Darren and Dwayne Bravo provided the foundation for success as West Indies beat Pakistan by 37 runs on Tuesday to win the second one-day international in Guyana and tie the five-match series.
Darren Bravo proved the mainstay of a much improved batting performance for the home team with a top score of 54 with elder sibling Dwayne contributing a vital 43 not out to take West Indies to 232 for eight wickets from the opening 50 overs.
Pakistan were then tied down by an efficient bowling performance, ending well short of the target at the Providence Stadium. Sunil Narine, who had not taken a wicket in West Indies’ three previous one-day internationals, returned figures of 4-26 as Pakistan were bowled out for 195 in 47.5 overs.
Darren Bravo and wicketkeeper Johnson Charles put together a patient 79-run second wicket stand to steady the innings after talisman Chris Gayle has been caught behind in the first over, seeing off a threatened repeat of the 98 all out West Indies scored in the first ODI on Sunday. Dwayne Bravo, captaining West Indies, partnered with the heavy hitting Kieron Pollard for a 70-run sixth wicket stand to pick up the scoring rate as Pakistan threatened to restrict the West Indies. The tally over 200 was always going to be difficult for Pakistan to chase down as the early bounce on the wicket disappeared and it got markedly slower as the day wore on. Pakistan, who did not hit a scoring shot off their first five overs, needed one of their big hitters to come off but saw wickets tumble regularly without any of their batsman able to settle at the crease.
Opener Nasir Jamshed offered four chances in his innings before departing on 54 and a 50 for Umar Akmal came too late to provoke a dramatic finish. Shahid Afridi, the swashbuckling hero of Sunday’s win, made just five runs and with his wicket the fate of the tourists was sealed.
The remaining three ODIs will be played at Gros Islet in St. Lucia on Friday, Sunday and Wednesday next week.
