By Avenash Ramzan
A destructive partnership of 99 in 11.2 overs between centurion Babar Azam and Imad Wasim injected a flagging Pakistan innings, taking the tourists to 282 after 50 overs.
The pair joined forces in the 39th over with Pakistan 183-5 and the momentum with West Indies. Wasim made his intentions clear with an attacking start, and Azam, who was well entrenched on 75 and seems intent on rotating the strike, opened up in the last 10 overs, which yielded 94 runs.
Azam, who brought up his fifth ODI hundred and fourth against West Indies in five innings, ended on a career-best 125 off 132 balls with seven fours and three sixes. Wasim was on 43 (2x4s, 2x6s) off 35 balls when the innings ended.
Earlier, Mohammed Hafeez made 32 and Sarfraz Ahmed 26 as West Indies bowlers kept the tourist batsmen in check.
Shannon Gabriel ended with 2-50, while spinners Devendra Bishoo and Ashley Nurse returned 2-82 off their combined 20 overs, but Jason Holder, Alzarri Joseph and Jonathon Carter leaked 140 in their combined 20, which is basically where the West Indies lost the plot.
Joseph went for 14 in the 48th over, Holder leaked 13 in the penultimate over, and Carter, surprisingly given the final over, was smashed for 19- a total of 46 runs in the last three overs.
Wicketkeeper Shai Hope featured in four dismissals, pouching three catches and effecting a stumping. However, he did miss a catch and a stumping opportunity.
