Babar, Hasan help Pakistan pull level

Babar Azam continued his excellent run against West Indies as Pakistan bounced back to win the second One-Day International at the National Stadium in Providence on Sunday by 74 runs to square the three-match series 1-1.

Babar brought up his fifth ODI century as Pakistan posted 282 for 5 on being put in by Jason Holder. Hasan Ali, the paceman, then picked up 5 for 38 to help bowl the home side out for 208 and set up a thrilling finale at the same venue on Tuesday. Holder top-scored for West Indies with 68, but another top-order collapse had left him with too much to do.

Back at his preferred No. 3 position, Babar was the glue that held the Pakistani innings together. Having steadied the ship after a wobble that left it at 183 for 5, Babar then hit out towards the end to finish unbeaten on 125, off 132 deliveries with seven fours and three sixes. It was also his fourth ODI ton against West Indies.

Babar was well supported by Imad Wasim, the all-rounder who contributed 43 in an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 99. It was this partnership that took the game away from West Indies. Until this alliance, the bowling had been disciplined on a pitch that didn’t have the same pace and bounce from the first match two days earlier, which West Indies won by four wickets.

West Indies also lost its batting discipline in its reply on the good surface, slumping to 75 for 6 with a series of poor choice of shots while Pakistan’s bowlers were more purposeful than in the first game when West Indies chased down a total in excess of 300 for the first time ever.

It wasn’t until Ashley Nurse belted an ODI best 44 in dominating a 58-run seventh-wicket stand did Holder receive any support. However, Hasan, who finished with 5 for 38 off 8.5 overs, chopped down any outside chance West Indies had of pulling off a series-clinching victory.

He dismissed Nurse leg before and then picked up the last two wickets in the 45th over, both to catches by Babar at mid-off.

West Indies had started well with the ball but then wilted once Babar and Imad cut loose, leaking 84 runs in the final seven overs as a moderate chase snowballed into a steep one.

Pakistan lost both openers to excellent leg-side catches by Shai Hope, the wicketkeeper, off Shannon Gabriel and Alzarri Joseph.

Babar then found an able ally in Mohammad Hafeez, the pair realising 69 for the third wicket when Hope effected a leg-side stumping off Nurse as Hafeez advanced down the pitch to the off-spinner on 32.

Hope was again in business when he snaffled a chance offered by Shoaib Malik off Devendra Bishoo, and when Sarfraz Ahmed fell to a catch at mid-on for a run-a-ball 26, Pakistan seemed in trouble until Babar flew to its rescue.

The decider will be played on Tuesday at the same venue as West Indies eyes its first ODI series win over Pakistan for 26 years.