Toronto, Sept 18: Pakistan won the three-match DMC one-day international cricket series in Toronto on Saturday with a decisive 42 run win over the West Indies.
A magnificent unbeaten century by Yousuf Youhana spurred Pakistan to 5-222 in their allotted 50 overs. In reply, the West Indies were bowled out for just 180 in 46.2 overs.
Pakistan elected to bat after winning the toss but were quickly in trouble when Saeed Anwar was bowled by Chris Gale for six with the total on just 13. Wajahatullah Wasti followed soon after with the score on 23, bowled by Merv Dillon. Courtney Walsh was economical in his opening spell, with just 11 runs coming off his first five overs, which included three maidens.
The wickets continued to tumble, with Inzaman Ul-Haq (14) and Aamer Sohail (21) departing to the pavilion by the end of the 22nd over as Pakistan slumped to 4/68. That brought Youhana and Abdur Razzaq together at the wicket and the pair went about the task of rebuilding the Pakistan innings. They brought up a 50 partnership in 101 balls in the 39th over before launching a counter-attack.
Deft placement and good running between the wickets were a feature in a relatively slow start to the partnership but the pair began to turn up the heat in the final 10 overs. After reaching his half century in 97 minutes in the 41st over, Youhana cut loose, adding his next 50 in just 36 deliveries with a string of boundaries.
At the other end Razzaq hit the ball with power and authority, too, proving a perfect foil for his partner. He posted 50 off just 58 balls. The partnership was finally broken on 149 -- a record fifth-wicket stand in a one-day international against the West Indies -- in the 50th and final over when Razzaq was run out attempting a second run to give Youhana his century.
Youhana brought up his 100 in style with his 13th boundary and remained unbeaten on 104 at the end, with Pakistan amassing a more than competitive total of 222.
The West Indies started their run chase well, with openers Sherwin Campbell and Shivnarine Chanderpaul putting on 21 runs in seven overs before Chanderpaul was caught behind by Moin Khan off the bowling of Waqar Younis for 9.
Campbell fell in the very next over when he was caught at point off the bowling of Wasim Akram for 8. That brought West Indies captain Brian Lara to the centre to join Wavell Hinds.
Lara looked in great touch, getting off the mark with a midwicket boundary. Razzaq replaced Akram and he was greeted by two magnificent Lara shots -- one each side of the wicket -- that sent the battle scorching to the fence.
The Windies captain raced to 24 with his fifth boundary and looked particularly menacing. But disaster struck in the 15th over when spin bowler Mushtaq got a ball to turn back into the lefthander to trap him lbw for 26.
The West Indies slumped to 4/60 in the next over when Ricardo Powell suffered a similar fate, lbw to Razzaq for just 1. With an almost identical score-line of Pakistan's 4/68 earlier in the day, the West Indies attempted to make a similar recovery.
Hinds, playing just his third one-day international, was a little scratchy against the spin bowlers early but grew in confidence as the match progressed. Together with Jimmy Adams, he posted a partnership of 68 in 108 balls before Adams was caught by Akram trying to sweep off the bowling of Arshad Khan for 28.
Hinds soldiered on determinedly, reaching his 50 in 96 balls, including four 4s. But the wickets began to tumble around him as the run rate soared to more than seven an over with 10 overs remaining. Hinds was eventually bowled by Akram for a solid 65 attempting a big hit in the 44th over. The remaining two batsmen lasted just two overs, with the West Indies rifled out for 180.
Mushtaq was the pick of the Pakistan bowlers. He took 1/15 in his first spell of five overs, which included two maidens, and ended the match with good stats of 3/18 off eight overs. Razzaq, too, was impressive with 2/31 off 7.2 overs to add to his score of 50 earlier in the day. But the Man of the Match was undoubtedly Pakistan batsman and hero Youhana. His 104 not out was his highest score in one-day international cricket. He is averaging more than 40 to easily lead the Pakistan batting averages.
Pakistan captain Akram praised his young players for leading the revival. He described Youhana's performance as a "great innings" and said fast bowler Razzaq is "getting better and better all the time." "We have one of the best bowling attacks in the world and that makes it easy to be captain," he said.
Windies captain Lara said he was particularly encouraged by the efforts of Hinds. "We have a number of young players in our side and they are coming along," he said.