West Indies make an impressive comeback by beating Pak in WC

CHRISTCHURCH, (New Zealand): Taylor took three wickets in a destructive opening spell to have Pakistan reeling at four wickets down for one run, setting the West Indies on course for a lopsided 150-run win in their Cricket World Cup Pool B match on Saturday.

The West Indies posted 310-6 after being sent in to bat with Denesh Ramdin and Lendl Simmons scoring half centuries, then bowled out Pakistan for 160 in 39 overs to bounce back from a surpising four-wicket loss to Ireland in their opening match.

Pakistan has now lost two in a row, following its 76-run loss to arch-rival India, and the 1992 champions are now in danger of missing a quarterfinal spot.

Taylor finished with 3-15 as the principal destroyer of the Pakistan innings, while Andre Russell followed his unbeaten 42 from 13 balls with 3-33 in a player-of-the-match performance.

Taylor dismissed Nasir Jamshed with the second ball of his opening over and Younis Khan (0) with the sixth as the West Indies set about wrecking the Pakistan run chase.

He then dismissed Haris Sohail with the final ball of his second over and captain Jason Holder had Ahmed Shehzad caught from the first ball of the fourth over as Pakistan crashed to 4-1.

A West Indies team which seemed to need an injection of confidence in its limp loss to Ireland was suddenly playing with enthusiasm, its bowlers working with a spring in their step.

Pakistan staggered to 25 before its fifth wicket fell, then finally produced some resistance with an 80-run partnership between Sohaib Maqsood (50) and Umar Akmal (59). Those were the major contributions to a Pakistan innings which never fully overcame the early carnage.

Shahid Afridi made 28 and, at 139-6, there was a tiny glimmer of hope but that rapidly faded and Pakistan was all out to the last ball of the 39th over.

The win was also set up by bold batting at the close of the West Indies' innings. They had been 194-4 at the start of the 40th over before blasting 116 from the last 10. Simmons' 50 from 46 balls, Darren Sammy's 30 and Russell's brisk 42, which included three fours and four sixes substantially inflated the total.

"It was a wonderful performance," West Indies captain Holder said. "I thought we really batted well at the end of the innings ... Sammy, Russell. They all put their hands up and gave us the impetus that took us to 300.

"It wasn't an easy total to defend but I thought what made the job easier was the start we had. I thought Jerome Taylor was excellent up front and I supported him well. When we get three or four wickets with the new ball it always eases pressure and then we were able to strike home."

The West Indies were in early trouble at 28-2 with Dwayne Smith and Chris Gayle out cheaply, but Darren Bravo helped restore the innings despite a left-leg injury and being hit by the ball as he attempted a run. Haris Solail was the most successful of the Pakistan bowlers, taking 2-62.

In the 24th over, Bravo needed treatment when he was hit in the head while taking a single. He and Samuels took a quick run and the throw hit Bravo as he dived into the crease, delaying play while the West Indies physio came out and as Pakistan players gathered around to make sure Bravo was OK.

The West Indies had lost its previous four World Cup matches dating back to 2011 - they have never lost five in a row. They avoided that fate with their largest-ever win over Pakistan in terms of runs.

"It was a disappointing performance, especially after winning the toss," Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq said. "There was a little bit in the pitch but we could not really exploit that.

"A few early wickets and then that partnership (involving Russell) really took the game away from us. In those last overs we just gave away too many runs.

"Actually, in the last two games the guys have really bowled well in the death overs but today credit should really be given to the West Indies and the way they played. They really cashed in in the last five or six overs."