Off-spinner Kevin Sinclair produced a fine spell of bowling and Alick Athanaze had a memorable debut as West Indies defeated the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by four wickets to seal the three-match series 3-0 on Friday in Sharjah.
Opting to bat first, UAE stumbled to 184 after a magnificent start, before West Indies coasted to victory with as many as 89 balls remaining.
The 23-year-old Sinclair, playing his first match of the series, halted the hosts’ progress after they had raced to 142-2 by the 23rd over.
The Guyanese proceeded to claim career-best figures of 4-24 off 7.1 overs as the last eight wickets tumbled for just 42 runs.
Leg-spinner Yannic Cariah took 2-34, as Vriitya Aravind topscored with 70 off 75 balls (8x4s, 1×6) and skipper Muhammad Waseem made 42 off 34 (5x4s, 2x6s).
The left-handed Athanaze, who has been in prime form in domestic cricket, then announced himself on the global stage, blazing to a 26-ball fifty, the joint-fastest on ODI debut with Krunal Pandya of India.
After the early loss of Johnson Charles for three, Athanaze and Shamarh Brooks, who made 39 off 58 (2x4s) added 66 for the second wicket.
Athanaze fell for 65 off 45 (9x4s, 3x6s), but contributions from stand-in skipper Roston Chase (27* off 32) and Keacy Carty (20 off 31) saw the Caribbean side to victory.
Bowling for the UAE, Muhammad Jawadullah (2-35), Aayan Afzal Khan (2-40) and Karthik Meiyappan (2-41) were the wicket-takers.
West Indies made four changes- captain Shai Hope, opener Brandon King and all-rounders Odean Smith and Dominic Drakes were rested, while Athanaze, Keemo Paul, Sinclair and Raymon Reifer were given a knock.
The two sides used this series as a warm-up for the 50-over World Cup Qualifiers starting on June 18 in Zimbabwe.
Game One: West Indies won by seven wickets
Game Two: West Indies won by 78 runs
