West Indies vs Pakistan, 2nd ODI - Five Tracking Points

Pakistan were right on the money during the T20 series and were just one or two good overs away from the victory during the first ODI. West Indies, however, have been on the edge for a while now. They were struggling to find their feet during the T20 series but fought their way back in the ODI series, anyhow the fight needs some more vigor as Pakistan have pulled things back.

After a fantastic batting display in the first ODI, the team from the Caribbean had little to do in the second ODI. Having to chase a modest 283 in fifty overs, a little bit of complacency crept in. The top order of the West Indies crumbled like ninepins and the attempt to chase was rather tame. A certain Jason Holder tried to put a fight but his fists weren’t strong enough as he had his work cut out.

Let us see the five tracking points of the game which shaped the game as it happened

1. Baber Azam carries Pakistan.

Pakistan’s batting wasn’t clicking until the first ODI. This time around it was only one batter who took Pakistan to a defendable total. It was the young Baber Azam who played an inning of substance. After getting off to a clumsy start Pakistan were struggling at 44 for 2 when this man came to the rescue of the side from the subcontinent.

Baber scored an exquisite century as he built his innings like an experienced player which he is not. The 20-year-old was hitting the ball quite well as he scored 125 of 132 deliveries. No other batter from his team got to a half century let alone matching him on that front.

His effort helped Pakistan score 282 as he remained not out doing his average a world of good.

2. West Indies bowlers do well but not quite.

After a dismal bowling performance in the first ODI, they bowled pretty well on the economic front but wickets were hard to come by. In two matches West Indies have just managed to take 10 wickets out of which 5 belong to Ashley Nurse.

The fast bowlers improved on their performance from last game but they could not restrict Pakistan to a below-par score. Gone are the days when West Indies use to be a fearful side when batters needed an extra helmet to feel safe. The bowling is one of the main reason why West Indies are lingering around the bottom half of the rankings.

3. The top order of West Indies crumbles.

Chasing a shy total of 283 in 50 overs does not seem like a hard task. Say that to me a decade or two ago, I would have disagreed but nowadays no total is safe. Batsmen have evolved a lot over the years and a required run rate of about five or six is no biggie.

West Indies, however, failed to get a good start as they lost half their side by the score of 56. Junaid Khan and Hasan Ali ran havoc through these inexperienced batters. There were some nothing shots too from the West Indies as they could hardly stand up to the occasion.

That 56 for 5 soon became 133 for 7 and it all looked a bit glum for them. Hasan Ali picked up five wickets as he ran past the batting lineup of West Indies

4. Jason Holder – the lone warrior

After getting off to a worse start possible, Jason Holder tried to fix the broken innings of West Indies. However, his duct tape attempt to fix the broken innings did not do wonders. There were no companions as Jason was running out of partners fast.

Jason tried to play it out in singles and doubles but his innings of 68 off 87 deliveries was not enough to rescue his team. Ashley Nurse seemed to be a good partner but after his dismissal, there was no strength left in the chase as Holder just tried to take West Indies as close as possible.

5. The stage is set for the final ODI.

After losing the first ODI Pakistan fought back pretty well to level the series. After a magnificent bowling performance, they have set up a final in the third ODI at Providence Stadium in Guyana. West Indies have a pretty good chance to make a mark in the final One-Dayer as they lie ninth in the rankings and have missed out on a champions trophy place.

After a win in the second ODI Pakistan will be high on confidence as their bowlers have clicked for them after an odd failure in the first game. The final in Guyana will be a thriller as both the teams look evenly matched on talent but the visitors have more experience behind them. The home team needs to hold their birth so as to overcome their opponent.

The game promises to be a nail-biter and you wouldn’t want to miss that.