Pakistan vs West Indies 2013: 1st T20I - Zulfiqar Babar stars in a thrilling win for Pakistan

Pakistan won a close encounter against West Indies

Debutant Zulfiqar Babar, 34, starred by taking three wickets earlier and then smashed a six off the final ball of the match to give Pakistan a two-wicket victory over West Indies in the first T20 international on Saturday.

Babar dismissed three key opposition batsmen in Marlon Samuels (25 runs), Dwayne Bravo (25 runs), and Lendl Simmons (6 runs) to finish with three for 23 in his four stipulated overs to restrict West Indies for 152 for 7 at Arnos Vale Ground, St Vincent.

The visitors in reply lost wickets at regular intervals but were always ahead with the required rate and, with the scores tied, Babar launched Samuels over the mid-off boundary to seal the win of the final delivery.

Earlier, a late flurry of boundaries by Keiron Pollard and skipper Darren Sammy propelled West Indies set up a target of 153 runs. Pollard’s 49*off 36 balls showed his mastery in the shortest version of the game in which he excels. It completed the home side’s recovery from of 42 for 4 after Sammy won the toss and chose to bat first.

Pakistan lost two quick wickets in their reply, but Umar Amin, who was playing his first T20 international, smashed 47 in 34 balls before getting stumped off the bowling of Samuels.

Shahid Afridi, in his usual style, took Pakistan close, scoring 46 off 27 balls. Afridi in the process became the first player in the history of international cricket to hit 400 sixes. But in a typical Pakistani fashion they almost blew it up but Babar rescued them off the last ball.

The second and final match will be played at the same venue on Sunday.

Brief scores: West Indies 152 for 7 (Pollard 49*, babbar 3-23, Hafeez 2-4) and Pakistan 158 for 8 (Amin 47, Afridi 46, Gabriel 3-44)