West Indies win by seven wickets

Nicolas Pooran smashes one over the fence for a six, to start off their World Cup campaign with a seven-wicket win over Pakistan at Trent Bridge on Friday. 

Windies reached the target of 106 in just 13.4 overs after the bowlers bundled Pakistan out in just 21.4 overs.Chris Gayle was in aggressive mood, hitting a 34-ball 50, laced with six fours and threes sixes before Mohammad Amir -- who bagged all three of Pakistan's wickets -- removed the left-hander in the 11th over. Pooran hit an unbeaten 19-ball 34 to take Windies hope. 

Earlier, Windies speedsters ran riot with Oshane Thomas bagging four wickets while captain Jason Holder taking the scalps of three Pakistan batsmen as Pakistan were bowled out for just 105 --  their second-lowest World Cup total. 

West Indies were looking quite comfortable in chase of Pakistan's 105 with Chris Gayle hitting Hasan Ali for two consecutive sixes in the fourth over.

Mohammad Amir hit back for Pakistan, getting the better of in-form Shai Hope in the fifth over, holed out at mid-off trying to get on top of the delivery. Amir then got the scalp of Darren Bravo with a cutter. Gayle is however going strong for the Windies as they reached 56 for 2 after nine overs.

Oshane Thomas took four wickets as West Indies dismissed Pakistan for a paltry 105 in their World Cup opener at Trent Bridge on Friday.

Thomas finished with four for 27 while Jason Holder 3-42 and Andre Russell 2-4 shared the spoils as Pakistan, sent in to bat, were demolished in just 21.4 overs.

Opener Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam were the joint top-scorers with 22 each in an abysmal display of batting.

The only other batsmen to reach double figures were Wahab Riaz, who scored 18, and Mohammad Hafeez (16).

Riaz put on 22 for the last wicket -- the highest stand of the match -- with Mohammad Amir, who made three not out.

Pakistan's lowest World Cup score was 74, made against England at Adelaide on the way to their only World Cup title in 1992.

"New experience for me, this being my first World Cup," Thomas told Sky Sports.

"I was confident of running in and doing my job. Andre Russell started the job for us, I just followed his footsteps today. Lot of guys tried to mix it up with short balls. I mean, we wanted to execute our plans well."

Imam-ul-Haq was the first batsman to be dismissed, caught behind the wicket by Shai Hope for two off the bowling of left-armer Sheldon Cottrell.

Russell then struck twice, bowling opener Fakhar in his first over and having Haris Sohail caught behind off a sharp rising delivery for eight.

Babar was caught by Hope off paceman Thomas to leave Pakistan in deep trouble at 62-4 in the 14th over.

Holder removed skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed, Imad Wasim and Hasan Ali in the space of nine balls for just three runs.

Some late hitting from Riaz took Pakistan over the 100-mark. (AFP)

With Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam the only batsmen scoring runs above 20 for Pakistan. The men in green could only manage a mere 105 runs in 21 overs. Oshane Thomas was the most successful bowler taking 4 wickets.

Pakistan slump to 81/8 in 18.3 overs as WI pacers rip through the Pakistan batting line-up.

James Holder scalps 3 wickets as Russell and Thomas take two a piece. Mohammad Hafeez and Wahab Riaz are on the field trying to take Pakistan to a respectable total.

Pakistan were 71 for the loss of four wickets at the end of the 15th over, having been asked to bat first by West Indies.

The Pakistani top-order failed to negotiate with the West Indies pace, losing wickets cheaply. Imam-ul_Huq departed for 2 while Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam were dismissed for 22 each.

Andre Russel took two wickets while Sheldon Cottrell and Oshane Thomas took a wicket each.

 

Mohammad Amir debuts in the World Cup against West Indies in the second match of  World Cup 2019.

Having missed the 2011 and the 2015 World Cup due to a spot-fixing ban, Amir looks to show his skills in this year's mega-event.   

Toss:

West Indies won the toss and chose to bowl first against Pakistan at Nottingham in the second match of the World Cup.

Playing XIs:

Pakistan:  Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Haris Sohail, Sarfaraz Ahmed (C, WK), Mohammad Hafeez, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Amir, Hasan Ali, Wahab Riaz

West Indies: Chris Gayle, Shai Hope (WK), Darren Bravo, Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Jason Holder (C), Carlos Brathwaite, Ashley Nurse, Sheldon Cottrell, Oshane Thomas

More to follow....