Pakistan set 276-run target for Windies in second ODI

Multan: Pakistan has set 276-run target for West Indies in the second ODI that is being played in Multan.

Skipper Babar Azam scored 77 runs and Imamul Haq 72. 

Azam scored 93-ball 77 and Haq run-a-ball 72 — both hitting sixth consecutive half-centuries in successive one-day internationals — before the home team lost track in the middle overs.

Pakistan, who won the toss and batted in the sweltering conditions in Multan, were cruising along nicely at 187-2 with Azam set for their fourth hundred in as many ODIs when spinner Akeal Hosein dismissed Pakistan skipper in the 36th over.

Azam, who became the first batter in ODI cricket to score three hundred in as many matches on two occasions on Wednesday, gave a return catch to Hosein.

Azam, who hit five boundaries and a six, failed to equal Sri Lanka´s Kumar Sangakkara´s record of four hundred in as many ODIs scored in the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

He had set the tempo with a 120-run second-wicket stand with Haq — their fourth successive 100-plus stand — before Haq was run out, without watching his static partner while going for a single.

Haq hit six boundaries.

With Azam´s wicket, West Indies grabbed five wickets in the space of 23 balls for 20 runs to derail Pakistan, with Hosein (3-52) and Alzarri Joseph (2-33) sharing the spoils.

Fast bowler Anderson Phillip also chipped in with 2-50.

Joseph had Mohammad Haris (six) and Shadab Khan (22) while Hosein also had Mohammad Rizwan (15) and Mohammad Nawaz (three).

Khushdil Shah (22), Mohammad Wasim (17 not out) and Shaheen Shah Afridi (15 not out) took the total past 250.

Pakistan leads the three-match series 1-0 after winning the first match — also in Multan — by five wickets on Wednesday.

SOURCE: Additional input from AFP