Holder pulls off tie for Windies against Pakistan
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GROS ISLET, St. Lucia: West Indies No. 11 batsman Jason Holder pulled off a sensational tie in the third one-day international against Pakistan by clubbing 14 runs in the last over on Friday.The home team was looking down the barrel at 215-9 but Holder hammered seamer Wahab Riaz for a four and a six, and then ran the required two runs for a tie off the last delivery as West Indies finished at 229-9. Misbah-ul-Haq earlier scored 75 in Pakistan's total of 229-6.Off-spinner Saeed Ajmal looked to have all but sealed the match for Pakistan with 3-36 by removing top-scorer Lendl Simmons (75) and captain Dwayne Bravo (13) in quick succession before Riaz came in for a hammering.The series is tied 1-1 with the last two matches at St. Lucia on Sunday and next Wednesday."It's really disappointing, we were in a really good position but the way Holder played he took the game away from us," Misbah said. "We bowled too many full deliveries to the tailender ... but hats off to them, they played really well."Simmons, who hit seven fours and two sixes, and Marlon Samuels (46) added 91 runs for the fourth wicket stand but it took them 132 balls as Ajmal gave away only 21 runs in his first nine overs and tied down both batsmen.Fast bowler Mohammad Irfan removed Samuels in the 39th over and Ajmal tilted the balance when Ahmed Shehzad plucked a good diving catch from Simmons at midwicket and Bravo was clean bowled two balls later.Sunil Narine gave West Indies hope by hitting Ajmal for two boundaries and a six in the 48th over before he departed with West Indies needing 25 off the last 13 deliveries."I'm also disappointed ... it should never have reached that situation, given the number of batsmen we have," Bravo said."At this level, the number of dot balls in our innings was unacceptable. We need to come up with a plan to cut down on that."Earlier, Misbah anchored Pakistan's innings with two half-century stands - adding 53 runs with Mohammad Hafeez (14) and a further 60 with debutante Haris Sohail (26), who was shaping up well before cutting Kemar Roach to diving Kieron Pollard at point.After winning the toss and electing to bowl, West Indies seamers exposed the vulnerability of Pakistan's top order to short-pitched deliveries with Shehzad, Nasir Jamshed, Hafeez and Shahid Afridi all departing while attempting ambitious strokes.Shehzad was snapped up at long leg by Kemar Roach, who took the catch, lost his balance at the edge of the boundary but lobbed the ball back in and plucked the catch again.Misbah hit seven fours and two sixes but was yorked round the wicket by Dwayne Bravo in the 45th over as he tried to charge down the wicket to West Indian captain.However, Akmal and Riaz gave the innings late impetus with a 52-run unbroken stand off 26 balls that included 32 off Bravo's last two overs.
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