Smith inspires Windies

Dwayne Smith and Dwayne Bravo combine to remove Kamran Akmal © Getty Images

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West Indies cemented their status as dark horses for the World Cup with a 54-run victory over Pakistan in the opening game in Jamaica.

A fine bowling display enabled the hosts to successfully defend a total of 241 as they dismissed Pakistan for 187 in 47.2 overs to win the first World Cup match on Caribbean soil.

Shoaib Malik hit 62 for Pakistan but his efforts were always likely to be in vain after all-rounder Dwayne Smith swung the match decisively West Indies’ way by taking 3-36.

Dwayne Bravo finished with 3-42 from nine overs, Daren Powell provided support with 2-42 and Corey Collymore returned admirably frugal figures of 1-27 from 8.2 overs.

Earlier, Marlon Samuels struck five fours and three sixes in his 63 off 70 balls, and there were useful contributions from Ramnaresh Sarwan, Brian Lara and Smith after West Indies were put in to bat.

Iftikhar Anjum was the most successful Pakistan bowler with 3-44, while Umar Gul and Mohammad Hafeez took two wickets apiece.

Smith supplies late impetus to the West Indies innings with a scintillating 32 © Getty Images

Pakistan enjoyed the brighter start, Gul removing Chris Gayle in the third over after Inzamam-ul-Haq had won the toss.

Sarwan, dropped first ball by Younis Khan at second slip, overcame his early nerves to dominate a stand of 57 for the second wicket with Shivnarine Chanderpaul, but Sarwan fell to a more straightforward catch by Younis off Iftikhar shortly after his partner was caught behind attempting to run the ball to third man.

Samuels hit the first six of the tournament off Iftikhar while Lara’s first boundary, a beautifully-timed four off Danish Kaneria, took the hosts to three figures in the 29th over.

Samuels’ swashbuckling approach lifted the crowd considerably, although he survived a stumping chance off Danish Kaneria on 32.

Lara and Samuels’ fifty partnership arrived in 63 balls and the latter brought up his half-century, off 58 deliveries, with a superb straight six off Shoaib.

But Lara was not destined to match Samuels as he was caught behind for 37 via a bottom edge as he swept Mohammad Hafeez.

Hafeez struck again to remove Samuels, who drove to Shoaib at long-on, having struck five fours and three sixes.

Denesh Ramdin, on his birthday, was stumped by Kamran Akmal off Kaneria as the innings threatened to tail off, but some brutal hitting from Smith - 57 runs came off the last five overs - ensured West Indies posted a competitive total.

Bravo wheels away in delight after having Umar Gul caught and bowled © Getty Images

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Smith found only Inzamam at extra cover off Gul as he attempted to clear the ropes again, Jerome Taylor was run out trying to get Bravo on strike in the last over before Bravo himself slashed Iftikhar to third man.

However, Corey Collymore’s flat-batted six off the last ball of the innings ensured West Indies went into the lunch interval in higher spirits than many imagined barely half an hour earlier.

Imran Nazir gave Pakistan an enterprising start to their reply when he hit the second ball of the innings - from Powell - over cover for six, only to edge the next delivery behind.

Younis was caught behind for nine as he attempted to hook Jerome Taylor, and the pressure on the visitors increased further when Hafeez drove Powell to Lara at mid-on to leave Pakistan 39 for three.

Though Inzamam and Mohammad Yousuf’s stand of 60 eased Pakistan nerves, they progressed at such a pace that when their partnership was broken - Yousuf caught behind cutting a ball too close to him - the required run-rate was approaching seven an over.

Smith trapped Inzamam lbw for 36 and had Akmal taken low down at cover point with successive deliveries before Rana Naved-ul-Hasan played on to Bravo attempting an unsightly heave.

Shaoib’s lusty late hitting - his innings occupied just 54 balls and contained six fours and a six - did little more than spare Pakistan a more comprehensive defeat.