Roach, Narine make merry as Pak crumble

NEW DELHI: Misbah-ul-Haq and Nasir Jamshed put on a 50-run partnership for the fourth wicket to give Pakistan a much needed relief after Kemar Roach tore through their top order during their Champions Trophy clash at The Oval in London on Friday.

Scorecard

Opener Jamshed painstakingly put on runs with skipper Misbah to maintain control over their otherwise crumbling batting line-up.

Pakistan batsmen were unable to break the shackles put into place by a disciplined West Indian bowling attack led by Kemar Roach.

Roach had given West Indies a terrific start when he took three early wickets to put Pakistan on backfoot.

Roach first dismissed Pakistan opener Imran Farhat (2) in the very first over by bowling a length delivery. Farhat tried to cut it away from the body but instead got a healthy edge towards the slips where skipper Dwayne Bravo took it with one-hand.

Next to go was much experienced Mohammad Hafeez (4). Roach bowled a quick but fuller delivery. Hafeez missed the line and was cleaned bowled.

Roach's third victim was Asad Shafiq. The West Indies pacer bowled a short-pitch bouncer to the batsman who tried to cut the ball but was taken by Ravi Rampaul at short-leg.

Earlier, West Indies captain Bravo won the toss and chose to bowl against Pakistan.

The Caribbean team, which won the title in 2004 besides finishing runners-up in 1998 and 2006, is high on star power, while Pakistan is a team full of greenhorns despite being led by the oldest player in the event -- a 39-year-old Misbah-ul-Haq.

Interestingly, the West Indians have the record of most number of matches won in the Champions Trophy, having registered 12 victories.

Pakistan, in contrast, have no big match-winners to boast of, but if any team is capable of doing exactly what is not expected of it, it is Pakistan. Misbah's men are considered mercurial and temperamental but talented and passionate nonetheless.

Teams

Pakistan: Imran Farhat, Nasir Jamshed, Mohammad Hafeez, Asad Shafiq, Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal (wicket-keeper), Saeed Ajmal, Wahab Riaz, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Irfan

West Indies: Chris Gayle, Johnson Charles, Darren Bravo, Marlon Samuels, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Dwayne Bravo (capt), Kieron Pollard, Denesh Ramdin (wicket-keeper), Sunil Narine, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach

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Shweta Pandey

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