Pakistan demolished world T20 champions West Indies in the Brighto Paints Cup 2016 presented by Haier cruising to an eight-wicket victory in the third match at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday night to take the series 3-0.
Playing to a near packed house with almost 12,000 people in attendance, Man of the Match and Series Imad Wasim impressed with the ball yet again, claiming three wickets for 21 runs.
Shoaib Malik starred with the bat for the winning team with an unbeaten 43.
The West Indies who were put in to bat first mustered up a score of 103 for 5 which Pakistan achieved with eight wickets and 29 balls to spare. Marlon Samuels top-scored for the Windies with 42 not out.
Pakistan won the first two matches in Dubai by nine wickets and 16 runs respectively.
“We didn’t estimate we would win 3-0,” said an elated Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed. “But I will give full credit to the boys for doing everything better than them and that’s why we have won the series.”
Sarfraz said the clean sweep will go a long way towards establishing a T20 team, struggling after being ousted in the first round of the World Twenty20 held in India in March-April this year that forced the then skipper Shahid Afridi to step down.
“Of course, this is the first step towards building a new team,” the 29-year-old said, adding, “If we want to become a good team then we have to bring consistency.”
Sarfraz said he was enjoying the captaincy.
“It’s nice to see senior and juniors cooperating and contributing. It’s a combination of juniors and seniors and I am enjoying it as a leader.”The low target was never out of Pakistan’s reach as Babar Zaman (27 not out) and Malik added 68 in quick time to seal the win.
Malik hit four boundaries and a six in his 34-ball knock while Azam knocked one boundary in his 24-ball innings.
Pakistan had raced to 36 in the sixth over before losing both their openers Sharjeel Khan (11) and Khalid Latif (21) to debutant paceman Kesrick Williams who finished with 2-15.
It was another sloppy batting display by the West Indies who just last month piled up 245-6 against India in a Twenty20 at Lauderhill, USA.
Pakistan had brought Mohammad Amir and Rumman Raees for the final match, resting Wahab Riaz and Hasan Ali.
The two teams will now play a three-match one-day series starting in Sharjah on Friday.
They also play three Tests with the first in Dubai – their first-ever day-night Test – from October 13.