Babar takes Pakistan home off last ball

You get a chance to play international cricket at 34, becoming the second-oldest debutant for your country. You are hit for six second ball. What do you do? You dismiss three key batsmen for just 23 runs. You are then called on to finish the game. With the bat. Understandably, you are tied down. But with six needed off six, you loft over extra cover for four. You think you have more than pulled your weight as a debutant. You have, but it is not over yet. It comes down to the last ball. One run needed. Everyone is in the circle. No sweat. You go big over mid-off, so big that you clear the rope. Zulfiqar Babar, welcome to international cricket.

It should not have come down to the last ball the wayShahid Afridi sensibly steered the chase from 86 for 5. After that became 116 for 6, he did it with the tail for company. He made 46 off 27, but barring the 27th delivery, he hardly hit a desperate, reckless stroke. With eight needed off 11 though, he tried to seal it with a straight six, and mishit to long-on.

West Indies sensed a chance. Babar played out a few dots. Despite that early boundary in the last over, Saeed Ajmal was run out off the fifth with the scores tied, before Babar roared one final time.

The way they bowled and fielded, West Indies were lucky to have taken it down to the last ball. Shannon Gabriel took three wickets, but he crumbled under pressure each time he was called upon to deliver.Umar Amin, who played a blinder on T20 debut, took three fours off Gabriel's first over, with a flick and two pulls.

Amin then took Samuel Badree apart on a turning pitch. Never giving the ball a chance to spin, he repeatedly stepped out to loft Badree down the ground. When the bowler dropped it

short, Amin pulled. When he overpitched, Amin drove. Even as Amin was toying with West Indies, the hosts were striking at the other end.

The Pakistan top order fell to miscalculated hits, but Amin's brilliance meant the asking-rate was always under control. That still didn't stop Amin from walking out to Samuels and getting stumped to make it 86 for 5.

Afridi took over now, striking Samuels first ball for six over long-off and drilling the third to the extra cover rope. Thereafter, he settled down into cruise mode, rotating the strike, picking the odd boundary and also lofting Sunil Narine to become the first man to reach 400 international sixes. He did everything right except the stroke on the ball he got out to, but then, it was to be the debutant's day in the end.

Babar, and the other Pakistan spinners, had shocked West Indies initially on the turner but the hosts recovered and then took apart the fast bowlers to post a challenging total. Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollardcame together at 42 for 4 and put on 56 before Darren Sammy cracked 30 off 14. Pakistan's slow bowlers did their job, taking 5 for 74 in 14 overs but the fast bowlers, missing the yorkers too often, disappeared for 1 for 73 in six. Mohammad Hafeez, who opened the bowling and dismissed the openers, gave himself just two overs.

Babar squared up and bowled Lendl Simmons with his fourth delivery and in his next over, found himself in the way of a powerful hit from Samuels, but managed to hold on. Samuels had been cutting Mohammad Irfan for boundaries amid all the wickets.

Bravo and Pollard, although not always in control, rotated the strike, a refreshing thing coming from a West Indies pair. Bravo was quick to hit with the turn through the off side, and Pollard made sure he put away the rare half-volleys for boundaries. Sammy went after the fast bowlers as he and Pollard looted 53 in four overs. As Sammy said after the game, 152 should have been defended on that pitch, but Babar was to have the perfect debut.

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South Africa beat Sri Lankaby 56 runs

What a difference two overs can make. That was all it took for South Africa to stay alive in the series, have their confidence restored and beat Sri Lanka at home for the first time in close to 20 years.

The 49th and 50th over of their nnings produced 38 runs and took their total from middling to challenging. David Miller scored 35 of them himself - prior to this match no South African batsman had managed a score greater than 29 in the series - hitting Thisara Perera and Lasith Malinga straight down the ground. He proved South Africa could be competitive and could come back after being under pressure in the first two matches, and even large sections of the third.

And what a difference an over can almost make. Perera hit Robin Peterson for the second-most expensive

over in ODI cricket to throw Sri Lanka back into contention after they slumped to 93 for 7. The 35 runs included five sixes and a four, Perera displaying his prowess, especially over the leg-side.

Like Miller, he showed the temperament required to succeed in conditions where the surfaces are sluggish - survive first, thrive later. Unlike the South African, Perera was asked to do too much at the end.

Because Miller did not have a target to chase, he had less pressure on him. His strike rate hovered between 70 and 80 for most of his stay at the crease as he settled in. He needed AB de Villiers to usher him through the period where even singles were hard to come by and soon realised patience would pay off.

Only at the very end, when Perera and Malinga seemed to have dinner rather than death bowling on their minds, did Miller pounce on anything too full and one which was too short. Miller registered the first South African half-century on the tour after their top order failed - Hashim Amla's absence is growing glaring as each match goes by.

South Africa tried a third opening pair in as many matches with Lions' team-mates Alviro Petersen and Quinton de Kock fronting up first. Both were watchful but de Kock was unable to contain his attacking instincts and was vulnerable outside the offstump.

He offered a chance in the fourth over when he swung at a wide one without any foot movement but Tillakaratne Dilshan at slip could not hold on. Sri Lanka hit back two balls later when Malinga bowled his first short ball and Petersen tried to hook too early, only to glove it to Kumar Sangakkara.

Sri Lanka's attack continued to find the edge of de Kock's bat and the youngster fell on his sword to open South Africa's middle up to a familiar state of panic. Both JP Duminy and Faf du Plessis posted insubstantial scores, with Duminy looking good again but unable to kick on and du Plessis uneasy at the crease and almost run out twice before actually being found short of his ground.

De Villiers looked closer to breaking the lean run but Sri Lanka's spinners and Ajanthan Mendis in particular did not let him get away. Mendis was difficult to pick while Rangana Herath and Dilshan kept things tight. It was only when Miller decided to hit out that the complexion of South Africa's tour became a little rosier.

Things got better for them from there as the fit-again Lonwabo Tsotsobe did the bulk of the damage upfront. He plucked three wickets in a six-over spell in which he extracted bounce, produced seam movement and partnered Morne Morkel to perfection.

Morkel created pressure at his end with pace and steep lift, while Tsotsobe's accuracy ensured eight dot balls were produced before the first run was scored. Sri Lanka's were troubled by anything back of a length and Dilshan was the first to succumb. He spooned a catch to de Villiers at cover before Kumar Sangakkara went in the same over, chasing one that moved away.

Upul Tharanga was also undone by bounce and edged Tsotsobe to Petersen at slip. With Sri Lanka at 16 for 3, South Africa were in control for the first time in the series.

They held the match in their grip even as Mahela Jayawardene and Dinesh Chandimal combined for a 55-run stand. Robin Peterson reviewed an lbw shout against Jayawardene, which was going down leg and Jayawardene survived a stumping chance when Peterson was bowling but the left-arm spinner had the last laugh. Peterson bowled Jayawardene with one that skidded on, but that was the end of his involvement in the night.

Peterson's figures were ruined by Perera, who hit his first four sixes over the mid-wicket boundary. Then, he sent Peterson back over his head for four and he finished with the biggest hit of the night, over square leg.

That over brought Sri Lanka's required run-rate below six but, it would take more than one over to change the course of the match. Perera had a few more meaty hits, but he didn't have a second over to match his first and when he was dismissed, Sri Lanka's hopes went with him.

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West Indies v Pakistan, 1st T20, St Vincent

In what has been a disappointing home season for West Indies, with the twin failures in the tri-series and a 3-1 defeat in the one-day series to Pakistan, the hosts have a chance to salvage pride in a format that hasn't let them down in recent months - Twenty20. Since winning the World T20 in Sri Lanka last year, West Indies have not dropped a single game, and with history on their side, nothing less than a 2-0 triumph will be enough to bring some cheer to their fans as the islands prepare for a brace of T20s in the form of the Caribbean Premier League, which gets underway two days after the two back-to-back games against Pakistan.

Save for series victories against unfancied Zimbabwe at home, West Indies have been a let down against better opposition, starting from the Champions Trophy. The expectations were raised after winning a world title last year and winning six consecutive Tests (albeit against the weaker sides). Fatigue was one of the factors attributed to their slump, with several key batsmen like Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo taking active part in the IPL and other leagues, without much rest between series. It has shown in the performances in at least two of the three players and there is very little time to turn the corner. It was a forgettable season for another reason: the decision to sacrifice Tests for more one-dayers for monetary reasons and accommodating the CPL is unpalatable for the cricket purist. It appears that T20s are the flavour of the season, starting Saturday.

Not too long ago, Pakistan had endured a similar slump, bowing out of the Champions Trophy without a win. Commonsense prevailed when the selectors chose not to make the captain the scapegoat and instead recalled impact players like Shahid Afridi and Umar Akmal, who made vital contributions in the one-dayers. The batsmen had a lot to answer for after the debacle in England and in testing batting conditions in the West Indies, there was an improvement, at least in the last three games. Misbah-ul-Haq, much ridiculed for his conservative approach to batting which sometimes drastically slows down the innings, was the pivot around which the batting revolved. His one-day numbers in 2013 speak for themselves, but he is not around for the T20s. Can Pakistan be just as effective without him?

Form guide

West Indies WWWWW (most recent first, last five completed matches)
Pakistan WLWLW

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Pakistan win Series 3-1 Against Westindies

With his fourth half-century in five games this series, the world's leading ODI run-getter of 2013 shepherded his volatile band of batsmen home in another tricky chase. Misbah-ul-Haq battled falling wickets at the other end, a charged up Tino Best, and a rain interruption as late as the 98th over of the game to take Pakistan to their third successive away bilateral series win over West Indies. Yet again this series, Umar Akmal was called upon to overcome the asking-rate towards the end, and once more, he did not disappoint, delivering the series to Pakistan with a 3-1 margin.

Misbah formed partnerships with Ahmed Shehzad, Haris Sohail and Akmal before falling in the last over trying to slog the winning hit, with the scores tied. He had already ensured Pakistan had won the series; a tie would have meant the margin would have been 2-1.

When Sohail became the latest profligate Pakistan batsman to fall, chasing a wide Best delivery, Pakistan needed 83 from 12 overs. Best, having conceded 25 off his first three overs, was in the mood for a furious comeback. Pinging down bouncers in the mid-140s, he smacked one into Misbah's fingers. While the storm was being weathered by the captain, Akmal did his act at the other end.

The inexperienced Jason Holder was taken for three successive fours in the next over, the 41st, the second of those coming off a poor effort at fine leg from Marlon Samuels. It wasn't the first time West Indies had messed up in the field today, and it wasn't to be the last. Akmal steered a short ball to the fine third man rope next ball. Holder cracked further under pressure, four leg-byes resulting off Misbah's pad down the leg side off the last ball of the over.

Misbah managed a four off an inside edge to Sunil Narine next over and held his nerve to reverse-sweep the offspinner for four more. Then arrived the moment which once again highlighted what a farce a watered-down DRS has been in this series, in the absence of HotSpot. West Indies were sure Misbah had gloved a Best bouncer to the keeper down leg, the on-field umpire did not agree, and the third umpire had too much guesswork to do with only replays and sound as tools. Misbah was on 49 then, and Pakistan would have needed 53 of 46 had he been given. Darren Bravo had been given caught-behind on referral on the basis of sound earlier and West Indies had a right to expect consistency.

Though Best predictably lost his temper, West Indies were not giving in. Dwayne Bravo, who often disappears for plenty at the death, delivered two tight overs. But Akmal found the big stroke when Pakistan sorely needed it. Narine was cut for four, Best was carted over mid-off for six. A top-edge flew over the keeper for four more, but even as clouds swept in over the stadium, Akmal holed out to mid-off for 37 off 28.

A 20-minute break followed but Pakistan were ahead on D/L by five runs, and safe in the knowledge that the series was theirs, in case no further play was possible. Sunshine followed soon, though, and Shahid Afridi weighed in at the hit end of the hit-or-miss scale. Bravo was pulled for six over deep midwicket and punched past point for four. Game over? Not yet.

Misbah hit Holder to short midwicket second ball of the final over, and Saeed Ajmal took three deliveries to get bat on ball. Had the throw from mid-on hit, it would have gone down to the final ball. It didn't, and Afridi and Ajmal hugged, as did their team-mates in the Pakistan dressing room.

Credit for the win also went to Shehzad, who made his first substantial score of the series, and guided Pakistan's chase amid tight bowling from Narine and Darren Sammy. The pitch eased out further in the second innings. Cutting and pulling without trouble, Nasir Jamshed and Shehzad brought up Pakistan's first 50-run opening stand in 17 innings, excluding a game against Scotland.

Trust Pakistan to blow such a rare promising start. Jamshed was stranded for the second game running, Shehzad taking a few steps and stopping this time, after Mohammad Hafeez in the previous game. Hafeez himself got a start and then had a heave at Sammy. However, Shehzad had Misbah to steady things.

The opposing captain's cameo had earlier taken his side to to 242 for 7 from 170 for 6. Dwayne Bravo, with 48 off 27, was assisted by his predecessor, Darren Sammy, who made an unbeaten 29 off 18.

The West Indies top six never managed any sort of sustained partnership. Two of them, Johnson Charles and Samuels, got forties, but were also the ones who struggled to score the most. Devon Smith fell early yet again. Chris Gayle and Lendl Simmons were unable to convert starts.

Junaid Khan was outstanding, barring the last over when Sammy went after him, making a case for him to have played through the series. Mohammad Irfan was unlucky not to break through in his opening spell, but came back even stronger to remove Charles and Samuels. West Indies took 64 from the last five overs, but Misbah's calm and Akmal's aggression were enough to overhaul that.

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South Africa hope for respite in Pallekele

Pallekele International Cricket Stadium was modeled on Supersport Park in Pretoria. The grass banks and open spaces are similar, the stands bear the same minimalistic, angular roof and even the floodlight towers seem like carbon copies. Unlike Supersport Park, the Pallekele ground is nestled in the hills and closeted by heavy vegetation, but having struggled with adapting to Sri Lankan conditions, the South Africa team will hope it is more like home than the Premadasa Stadium. 


The surface has gained a reputation for being more conducive to fast bowling than most in the subcontinent, and the tall South Africa quicks should enjoy the bounce and carry that has often been a feature at the venue. They are on an 11-loss streak against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka, but perhaps they will also be buoyed by the fact that Sri Lanka have lost half their completed matches at the ground, most recently to Bangladesh in March. Kandy's cooler temperatures, and mountain breeze will be a welcome change from Colombo's heavy heat as well.

Despite the attack having been dismantled in the first match, it is the batting that appears the area of deepest concern for South Africa, with no batsman having breached 30 in the two matches thus far. They have been somewhat short of opportunities to play long innings, given their chase was shortened to 21 overs in the second ODI, but they did not mount a serious challenge to Sri Lanka's totals in either match, and will almost certainly be bereft of

Hashim Amla's services again, as they attempt to ignite the talent in their batting order.


Angelo Mathews returns for Sri Lanka, and the balance he brings, particularly with the ball, may prove crucial if the pitch assists the seamers. He will also be motivated by the prospect of overseeing his first ODI-series victory, even if some of the work has already been done for him. Sri Lanka will hope too, that the psychological position they have earned in this series will not be squandered at a less favoured venue, as they begin to eye a rare whitewash against a top side.

Form guide

(most recent first, last five completed matches)
Sri Lanka: WWLLW
South Africa: LLLTW

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Misbah to play in Caribbean Premier League

Misbah-ul-Haq, the Pakistan captain, will replace Australia's Luke Pomersbach in the St Lucia Zouks side for the inaugural Caribbean Premier League season. Pomersbach has been forced to pull out of the tournament, which begins next week, on compassionate leave. Misbah will enter the competition fresh from a Man-of-the-Series performance in the one-day series against West Indies, which ended on Wednesday.

"Although it is unfortunate that Luke Pomersbach will not be joining us, we have a high-quality replacement in Misbah-ul-Haq," Matthew Maynard, the Zouks assistant coach, said. "He brings with him a vast amount of experience of international cricket, something that will only be of benefit to our younger players, and his latest Twenty20 performance speaks for itself. On top of that he has been in excellent form during the recent ODI series against West Indies so he is completely acclimatised and match-ready and that is an added plus for us and for him."

Misbah, who led Faisalabad Wolves to victory in Pakistan's Super Eight T-20 Cup in March, will join Darren Sammy and Tino Best, as well as overseas players Herschelle Gibbs, Albie Morkel and Tamim Iqbal at the Zouks. He was the highest run-getter in the recently concluded series against West Indies, with 260 runs in five ODIs, including four fifties.

The Caribbean Premier League starts on July 30 in Barbados and concludes on August 24 in Trinidad.

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Zimbabwe bowl, Vitori in

Zimbabwe won what has been a crucial toss at Harare Sports Club, asking India to bat in an early morning start. After losing the toss and being inserted in bowler-friendly conditions in the first game, Brendan Taylor's luck improved second time around, and Zimbabwe will hope that gives them a much better chance of competing with India.

The hosts made one change, beefing up their seam attack with the inclusion of Brian Vitori in place of the legspinner Tino Mutombodzi, a decision that should help them better utilise the helpful morning conditions. India were unchanged.

Zimbabwe's openers survived testing spells from the India quick bowlers in the first game, but consumed 22 overs in putting on 72. This time, it will be another test at the top of the order after the Champions Trophy and West Indies tri-series assignments for Rohit Sharma, playing his 100th ODI.

Zimbabwe: 1 Vusi Sibanda, 2 Sikandar Raza, 3 Hamilton Masakadza, 4 Brendan Taylor (capt & wk), 5 Sean Williams, 6 Malcolm Waller, 7 Elton Chigumbura, 8 Prosper Utseya, 9 Brian Vitori, 10 Kyle Jarvis, 11 Tendai Chatara

India: 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 Virat Kohli (capt), 4 Ambati Rayudu, 5 Suresh Raina, 6 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Amit Mishra, 9 Vinay Kumar, 10 Jaydev Unadkat, 11 Mohammed Shami

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