PAK vs WI 3rd T20I Commentary - Karachi (16 December 2021)

OUT! CAUGHT! Fakhar Zaman departs but he has done his job! A low full toss on off. Fakhar Zaman stays deep in his crease and looks to tonk it over long on. But gets the bottom of his blade  and the ball goes straight into the hands of Shamarh Brooks at long on. Another wicket but it looks too late now.

A full ball, on middle. Iftikhar Ahmed whips it to backward square leg for a single.

SIX! Another one over the fence! A length ball, on off. Asif Ali gets deep in his crease and hammers it over deep mid-wicket for a biggie.

A short ball, on middle this time. Asif Ali ducks under it.

NO BALL AND FOUR! Just one needed now. A full toss just above waist height on leg. Asif Ali pulls it to backward square leg for a boundary. Free Hit coming up now.

Dropped on Free Hit and Pakistan win! A full ball, on off. Asif Ali gets under it and looks to smash it over long on. Gets it high but fails to get enough distance and the ball goes straight to Rovman Powell at long on. He drops it and a single is taken. So Pakistan win by seven wickets!

A length ball, outside off. Zaman stays deep in his crease and mistimes this slog to backward square leg for a single.

WIDE! Short and slower in the pace outside off. Mohammad Rizwan gets across and looks to upper cut it but misses. Wide called.

OUT! CAUGHT! End of a brilliant innings by Mohammad Rizwan! A full toss, around off. Mohammad Rizwan gets across and looks to sweep again but gets a huge top edge, The ball goes high in the air and behind square on the on side. Nicholas Pooran runs across and takes a fine catch. Nicholas Pooran is pumped up and can West Indies still win from here?

A full ball, on middle. Zaman drills it to long on for a single.

Back of a length, outside off. Asif Ali looks to pull but misses.

FOUR! Poor bowling and asking to be hit. A short ball, around leg. Asif Ali gets little across and pulls it to fine leg for a boundary.

SIX! Asif Ali with his tremendous power! A short ball, outside off. Asif Ali hangs back and just smashes it over deep extra cover for a maximum. Just 13 needed now from 12 balls.

WIDE! Romario Shepherd starts with a wide ball outside off. Mohammad Rizwan walks across and then lets it go. Wide called.

A full ball and wider outside off. Rizwan gets across and sweeps it to deep square leg for a couple.

A full ball and wider outside off again. Rizwan again gets across and paddle-sweeps it to short fine leg for a single.

A  low full toss outside off. Zaman pushes it to sweeper cover for a single.

FOUR! Good over so far has been ruined by a boundary! A short ball, slower around leg. Rizwan gets little across and pulls it to fine leg for a boundary.

FOUR! Up and over this time! A full ball, on off. Mohammad Rizwan gets under it and just lifts this towards long off for a boundary.

A full ball, outside off. Rizwan gets across and looks to sweep it but misses this time. Dot ball to end the over and Pakistan need 26 from 18 balls now.

OUT! CAUGHT! Odean Smith has finally broken this opening partnership! A full slower ball, on off. Babar Azam stays deep in his crease and looks to tonk it over long off. But fails to get enough distance and ends up finding Romario Shepherd at long off. He takes a good catch and West Indies have an opening now.

FOUR! Fakhar Zaman smashes his first ball for a boundary! A full ball, on middle. Fakhar Zaman stays deep in his crease and hammers it towards deep mid-wicket for a boundary.

A length ball ,on the pads. Worked to deep square leg for a single.

A full ball, on middle. Rizwan whips it to wide of long on for a single.

FOUR! Top edge but boundary! A length ball, outside off. Fakhar Zaman gets across and looks to drag it down towards the on side. Gets a thick outside edge and the ball races towards the fence behind keeper for  a boundary.

A slower full ball and down the leg side. Zaman looks to sweep it but misses. Wide called.

An excellent yorker on middle. Zaman jams it out. 39 needed now from 24 balls.

Tossed up, wide of off stump. Azam gets low and hits it down to long off for a single.

FOUR! Full toss, on off stump. Mohammad Rizwan heaves it towards wide long on. Romario Shepherd runs to the ball from long on and puts in the dive but the ball goes off his fingers and into the fence.

Short in length, on middle. Rizwan pulls it towards deep mid-wicket for one.

SIX! Swatted! In the slot, around the off stump. Babar Azam hangs deep in his crease and flat-bats it right back over the bowler's head and clears the ropes.

WIDE! Quicker one, spilled down the leg side and left alone.

On middle and pushed down to long on for a single.

FOUR! Poor bowling from Hayden Walsh. Juicy full toss, around the off stump. Mohammad Rizwan brooms it away into the mid-wicket fence with ease. 18 coming off the over! 50 needed now off 30 balls.

Good-length ball, around leg stump and angled across. Azam opens the face of the bat and nudges it towards short third man for a single.

Full and outside off, Rizwan drives it down to long off for another one.

Short of a length, around off and angling away from the right-hander. Babar Azam moves past the off stump and pulls it towards wide long off. The fielder from long off does well to cut it off and keeps it to a brace.

A slight mix-up and that could have been catastrophic for Pakistan. A length ball, on the pads and this is tucked away to deep mid-wicket. Rizwan wants the second and is halfway through but Azam sends him back and rightly so. The fielder doesn't collect the ball cleanly and Rizwan is able to make it back. He is though on the ground, holding his hamstring. Hope he is fine.

 Dominic Drakes sees Rizwan shuffling across the stumps and delivers a slower ball. This is full in length and outside off stump. Rizwan looks to paddle it away but gets an inside edge onto the pads. The ball rolls onto the off side as they scamper through for a single..

Back of a length, around off. Azam punches it off the back foot towards covers for another single.

Very full, on off and this is driven down the ground for a single.

Around the off pole, Mohammad Rizwan shuffles across and has a swipe across the line. The ball goes off the inside edge towards short fine leg and they take a quick single.

SIX! All the way! A length ball, outside off. Babar Azam hangs back and just lifts it over the extra cover fence with minimal effort.

FOUR! Right in the slot and punished. Full, on off. Azam gives himself a bit of room and then swats this one right back over the bowler's head for a boundary.

FOUR! Too easy for Babar Azam at the moment. A low full toss, outside off. Azam just uses the pace of the ball and slaps it into the cover-point fence.

Back of a length, around off. Azam goes on the back foot and taps it through point for a single. 75 needed off 42 balls.

Full and wide, Azam bunts it towards the cover region.

Well bowled yet again. A yorker, around off and Azam can only manage to jam it out on the deck. They do scamper through for a quick single. Babar Azam moves to 49 with that single.

WIDE! Romario Shepherd goes full and wide yet again but this time it's a bit too wide for the umpire's liking.

A low full toss, on off and Rizwan eases it down towards long off for a run.

Very full, on middle. Azam flicks it to deep mid-wicket for a single and brings up yet another half-century. Well played!

FOUR! Romario Shepherd looks to go full and wide again, this time Mohammad Rizwan leans into the shot and creams it into the cover-point fence. 

Should have been just a single! On middle, worked through mid-wicket but the fielder in the deep fumbles and the batters race back for the second.

FOUR! Lucky boundary for Rizwan but he won't mind. A length ball, around off and nipping back in off the surface. Rizwan gets an inside edge past the stumps as he looks to push at it. The ball races away into the fine leg fence as Rizwan becomes the first batter to surpass 2000 runs in a calendar year in T20Is.

Full, around off and driven towards wide long off for a single.

A yorker, outside off. Azam jams it out towards point.

Another good yorker, around the off pole. Babar Azam looks to angle it away but can't squeeze it through backward point and short third man. Single taken.

Fullish ball, well outside off. Rizwan strokes it through cover-point and picks up a single.

Very full again, on off. Azam eases it down towards long off for another one.

Short and wide outside off. Azam cuts it to deep point for a single.

SIX! Mohammad Rizwan gets the top edge but it sails over the ropes! A short ball, on off. Rizwan pulls but gets a top edge the fielder at deep square leg looks interested but the ball sails over him for a maximum.

Back of a length, outside off. Rizwan cuts it to sweeper cover for a single.

FOUR! This is bad bowling and rightly punished! A short ball and around leg. Azam just helps it on it's way and gets it to fine leg for a boundary.

A full ball, on leg. Flicked to deep square leg for a single.

WIDE! Full and wider outside off. Rizwan goes chasing for it but misses. Wide called.

FIFTY for Mohammad Rizwan! A short ball, on off. Rizwan pulls it to deep square leg to bring up another brilliant fifty with a single. What a year Mohammad Rizwan is having and Pakistan has got the exact start they wanted to chase this big total. 

A half-tracker on off. Rizwan pulls it wide of long on for a couple.

FOUR! Short again and this time punished! A short ball, on off. Rizwan gets back and pulls it between deep mid-wicket fielder and long off for a boundary.

Short ball again on off. Rizwan pulls it to deep mid-wicket for a single this time.

FOUR! Shorter length and outside off this time. Azam cuts it wide of point for a boundary this time.

Fuller on middle. Azam drives it to long on for a single.

A full ball, on off. Driven back to the bowler.

Back of a length, on off. Azam works it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Back of a length, on off. Rizwan pushes it off the back foot to point and sets off for a single. Hayden Walsh running in from point picks it quickly and has a shy at the batter's end. But misses and a single is taken.

A full ball, on middle. Driven straight down the ground for a single.

Back of a length, on off. Rizwan works it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Back of a length, around off. Azam pushes it off the bottom of his blade towards the off side off the back foot.

FOUR! Easy pickings! A full ball, on leg. Babar Azam just flicks it to fine leg for a boundary.

Darted on middle and leg. Azam looks to work it away but misses. Gets hit on the pads but going down leg.

A flatter ball, on off. Azam pushes it to covers for a single off the back foot.

Shorter length, on off. Rizwan punches it off the back foot to deep cover for a single.

A fuller ball, on off. Azam skips down the track and pushes it towards the off side.

DROPPED! An arm ball, around off. Azam looks to cut but gets an outside edge. But Nicholas Pooran behind the stumps drops it. Will that prove costly?

A full ball, on middle. Azam works it to deep mid-wicket and gets a single.

Back of a length, outside off. Rizwan taps it wide of short third man for a single.

A length ball, around off. Azam looks to drive it on up and gets a thick outside edge to short third man. There is a little misfield there and a single is taken.

On a length, outside off. Rizwan drives it to deep cover and gets a couple.

A full ball, on middle. Rizwan flicks it to deep square leg for a single.

Back of a length, on middle. Azam defends it back to the bowler.

On a length, on middle. Azam nudges it to deep mid-wicket for a single. 60/0 after Powerplay.

On middle, this is pushed down to long on for a single.

Flatter one, on off stump. Azam backs away and works it towards cover for another one.

Slightly tossed up, on middle. Rizwan dances down the track but can't quite get to the pitch of the ball as he plays it along the ground to long on for a run.

FOUR! Easy pickings! On a length, down the leg side. Azam just gets it over backward square leg and picks up a boundary.

FOUR! Dragged down, on middle. Babar Azam rocks back and pulls it into the wide long on fence for yet another boundary.

This is pushed through quicker, Azam hangs back and works it towards wide long on for a couple.

WIDE! A bit of a harsh call. Good-length ball, outside off and angling away. Babar Azam looks to cut but can't reach it and the umpire signals a wide.

Back of a length, around off. Azam goes on the back foot and keeps it down towards backward point.

FOUR! A touch shorter, on the hips. Azam looks to flick it away but one hand comes off the handle. He still manages to get a good enough connection as the ball races away into the fine leg fence.

A length ball, on off stump and this is punched through covers for one.

FOUR! Overpitched and punished! On off stump, Rizwan leans forward and drives it back past the bowler for yet another boundary.

Back of a length, around off. Rizwan hops and dabs it down towards backward point for a quick single.

Shorter in length, around off and this is tapped straight towards point.

Flatter one, on off and turning away a bit. Babar Azam looks to pull off the back foot but gets a bottom edge back onto the deck.

On middle and leg, flicked through mid-wicket for a single.

Quicker one, around off. Rizwan cuts it straight to cover-point.

FOUR! Motie attacks the pads and gets punished. Mohammad Rizwan gets low and sweeps it past short fine leg for a boundary.

SIX! Mohammad Rizwan in full flow now! Around the off stump, Rizwan walks across his stumps and slogs it all the way over the mid-wicket fence for a maximum.

Quicker one, on a length and around middle. Rizwan looks to sweep again but gets an inside edge back onto the pads.

A hint of swing! Fuller one, around off and this one nips away after pitching. Azam looks to push at it but gets beaten on the outside edge.

On middle and leg, Azam flicks it through mid-wicket but Rovman Powell does well to run across from long on and get a boot on it. Two taken.

FOUR! Here comes the Babar Azam trademark cover drive. A length ball, around off. Aza, stands tall and drives it on the up, through extra cover and into the fence.

Back of a length, around leg stump. Azam hops and dabs it down on the leg side for one.

FOUR! Lovely timing on this occasion from Mohammad Rizwan. Pitched up, on off and driven back past the bowler for a boundary.

SIX! Good-length ball, over off stump. Rizwan gets inside the line of the ball and dispatches it over the backward square leg fence.

NOT OUT! Gudakesh Motie almost picks up a wicket off his first-ever delivery in international cricket. On a length, around middle and Mohammad Rizwan is one one knee looking to sweep it away. He misses and gets hit on the chest. The visitors appeal and the umpire raises his fingers. Rizwan reviews it. UltraEdge shows that there's no bat involved but Ball Tracker shows that the ball is going over middle stump. Brilliant review and Rizwan survives.

Quicker one, on the pads. Rizwan tucks it away on the leg side for one. Pakistan are underway.

Tossed up delivery, around leg stump. Azam flicks it to mid-wicket.

Nicely bowled! Slowed up, on a length and around off. The ball grips and turns away a bit as Babar Azam is comprehensively beaten.

Tossed up around middle. Azam works it towards square leg for a single.

Darted on leg. Rizwan works it to mid-wicket and wants a single but is sent back by his skipper.