West Indies blow Pakistan away to secure big win
Having won the toss and elected to bowl in the tournament opener for both teams in Nottingham on Friday, 31 May, Windies captain Jason Holder oversaw a dominant quick bowling performance, with liberal use of short-pitched deliveries ensuring Pakistan were skittled for 105.
Holder himself claimed three wickets, Andre Russell’s short, sharp three-over spell reaped stellar figures of 2/4, and Oshane Thomas finished with 4/27.
Only Wahab Riaz's two sixes pushed Pakistan's total into the three-figure mark.
In reply, Chris Gayle, who has said this World Cup will be his last, got West Indies off to a fast start, blasting his way to 50 off 34 balls. His knock included three sixes, taking his tally in all World Cups to 40, ahead of AB de Villiers' 37.
Mohammad Amir took three wickets for Pakistan, and at 46/2, on any other day, the game might have got interesting. But the Pakistan total was too paltry to present a proper challenge, and Nicholas Pooran’s 19-ball 34* brought proceedings to a swift conclusion, giving the Caribbean side’s net run-rate a healthy boost in the process.
Pakistan will next take on England on Monday at the same venue, while West Indies have a break before taking on Australia on 6 June, also at the same venue.