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WEST INDIES v PAKISTAN, 1st ODI
Series World Cup 2007 Venue Sabina Park, Kingston - Jamaica Date Tuesday, March 13, 2007	Umpires Billy Bowden (NZ), Simon Taufel (AUS) & Brian Jerling (RSA) Referee Chris Broad (ENG)
Match Details
West Indies: 241/9 (50.0) R/R: 4.82 Pakistan: 187/10 (47.2) R/R: 3.95	End of play | Match Report West Indies beat Pakistan by 54 runs

Dwayne Smith helped guide the West Indies to their first victory in the ICC 2007 World Cup by hitting 32 vital runs at the end of the innings and by taking three vital wickets in the 54 run win.

Brian Lara lost the toss and was immediately asked to bat, the home side struggling to reach 249 with the loss of nine wickets, Marlon Samuels the main contributor hit 63 runs off 70 balls, an innings that included five fours and 3 sixes.

The slow wicket offered some help to the seamers early on and scoring was pedestrian at best. The low run rate was aided by the loss of Chris Gayle for just two runs with both opening bowlers contributing. Gul was the pick of the opening pair and it was he that accounted for Gayle.

Chanderpaul and Sarwan steadied the ship but Chanderpaul's innings of 19 off 65 deliveries was boring at best. Iftikhar Anjum who came on at first change bowled incredibly accurately and sent back Chanderpaul and Sarwan in the space of 13 runs as the host found themselves struggling at 3 for 77. By the time the West Indies had reached 80 runs, 27 overs had been used and a low score was on the cards.

Samuels was the first to press the trigger, hitting Iftikhar for six and adding 14 off a Danish Kaneria over. Kaneria's leg-spin remained the target, Lara playing a dreamy lofted off-drive for six and a textbook late cut for four in the same over.

Lara and Samuels put on a vital 91 run partnership in just 17 overs and proved to be the crucial period of the innings. Lara was the next to go when he bottom edged Hafeez behind for 37 and Samuels fell 13 runs later once again to Hafeez.

With five wickets down it was imperative that the hosts continued to score without further losses but two runs later Kaneria took his first and only wicket of the innings when he had Ramdin stumped for one run.

Smith then saw his cue to hit out and hit out he did scoring a quick fire 32 off just 15 balls. The final delivery of the innings saw Collymore hit a massive six and help West Indies post a sub par total of 249.

After the sub par performance with the bat, albeit a much improved display compared to the warm up game against India you would have been forgiven it would only be a matter of time when Pakistan overhauled the total but a good opening bowling performance tilted the game back in the West Indies favour.

Imran Nazir hit the second ball of the innings for six but fell to a sloppy shot the very next delivery, Powell the jubilant bowler. It was the best possible retort following the maximum hit. Younis Khan didn't stay long and then Powell accounted for Hafeez Pakistan were already struggling at 3 for 39.

Mohammad Yousuf and Inzamam then put on a wonderful 60 run partnership before Dwayne Smith in his fifth over lulled Yousuf into playing cut shot which he only managed to edge behind. Smith then had Inzamam trapped leg before playing across the line and Akmal, his third victim caught by Dwayne Bravo at point.

Bravo buoyed by his success in the field bowled well and took two wickets in two deliveries to seal the victory. In the end it was a comfortable win and a morale boost for a host side severely lacking in runs and a good performance. It was a good fightback by Lara's men and more importantly the first points in group D. With games against Zimbabwe and Ireland to come, the hosts are guaranteed a super eight spot now.