Imad Wasim 5 for 14 dismantles West Indies

Fri, Sep 23, '16

The surface in Dubai was cracked, but there seemed to be more cracks in the batting line-up of the World T20 champions. Imad Wasim exploited all those cracks and rolled West Indies over for 115. In the process, the left-arm spinner became only the second Pakistan bowler, after Umar Gul, to take a five-for in T20Is. Pakistan then merrily cruised to the target with 34 balls to spare to hint at a white-ball revival, having secured their second successive nine-wicket win.

The portents were clear from the first over, after Pakistan chose to field. Taking the new ball, Wasim had opener Evin Lewis top-edge a catch to deep midwicket in the first over. In his next over, he accounted for Andre Fletcher and Marlon Samuels to leave West Indies at 16 for 3. A raft of balls fizzed through and thudded into the pad, drawing appeals from an ever-present slip and captain Sarfraz Ahmed. Looking at the scorecard, it may have appeared that Wasim was bowling magic balls. Truth be told, he didn't turn them much. Instead, he relied on accuracy and drift to run through West Indies.

Fletcher attempted a low-percentage slog against the drift and was bowled. Samuels' technique of camping back in the crease was exposed again when he was trapped plumb in front by a full slider. Wasim alternated between a good length and a full length and kept attacking the stumps. West Indies didn't quite know how to counter that