END OF OVER:49 | 11 Runs | WI: 309/6 | RR: 6.30
- Ashley Nurse34 (15b)
- Jason Mohammed91 (58b)
- Wahab Riaz9-0-69-1
- Mohammad Amir9-0-59-2
This is West Indies' highest successful chase in ODIs. What makes it special? They did it without their stars, many of whom are in India at the IPL. Wonder if they're all glued to their TV screens from Mohali, Bangalore, Delhi, Kolkata and Rajkot and elsewhere! Magnificent scenes. These boys know how to celebrate or what? If this is any indication, we're in for a thrilling series. Join us on Sunday for the second ODI. Cheers!
Jason Mohammed is the Player of the Match. "It's nice to be back to the West Indies team. I made my debut in 2011. It's nice to be back and doing well now. Any win is special but to chase 300 plus and the way we went about it was superb. Special mention to every member of the side for the fight we showed. We showed we can win as a team."
For a change, Jason Holder doesn't have to walk up first for the post-match interview. "It was a big total. We didn't bowl upfront but we managed to pull it back nicely. Credit for the way we chased this total," he says. "Well done to Lewis and Powell for the start, then to Nurse and Mohammed for the knocks in the end. We knew where we had to be at every stage of the chase, we had a chat with the batting coach in the break. Good to see the guys come off under pressure. In the past, we've been timid. This win gives us a lot of confidence. We need to play each game like a final. Points leading up to the World Cup very crucial for us."
Sarfraz Ahmed: We put together a good total, but credit should go to Jason Mohammed. We lost the momentum in the last 10 overs [with the ball]. We covered well with the bat after a slow period in the middle. No excuses for not defending 308.
This is one way of nailing a 300-plus chase. Not a way seen before, really, or one any cricket manual, traditional or modern, would recommend. Or indeed a way the West Indies themselves would have planned. But the West Indies, spearheaded by Jason Mohammad playing the innings of his life, clawed their way back into a contest they didn't even seem to be a part of for 35 overs of their chase. With the side needing 128 from 13 overs, having been sedentary for the best part of the first 37, Jason Mohammad suddenly exploded into life, treating Pakistan's vaunted fast bowling attack with disdain as Amir, Wahab and Hasan Ali were all on the receiving end of hammerings in the death overs.
This is the fifth time Pakistan have failed to defend 300 plus in ODIs.
samy: "Great chase by WI. However, they have 143 dots so far in this innings. They have to start chugging singles if they want to set themselves up for long term success. You can't always swing for the fences. It will give you a win here and there but this is fundamentally not sound."