DHAKA: Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi led from the front again to inspire his team to a 10-wicket victory over West Indies in the first World Cup quarter-final on Wednesday.
Afridi took four for 30 as West Indies collapsed to 112 all out from 43.3 overs to take his total to 21 for the tournament and overhaul Imran Khan’s Pakistan record at a single World Cup.
Man-of-the-match Mohammad Hafeez, who had taken two cheap wickets with his off-spin, then scored his maiden World Cup half-century with 61 not out as Pakistan reached their victory target from only 20.5 overs.
They will face the winners of Thursday’s match between defending champions Australia and co-hosts India in the second semi-final in Mohali on March 30.
Nothing went in West Indies’ favour who, after a pathetic batting display, were also poor in the field with Kieron Pollard dropping Kamran Akmal on six before wicketkeeper Devon Thomas grassed Hafeez on 17. Kemar Roach was the unlucky bowler on both occasions.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul was the only batsman to defy the Pakistan attack, scoring an unbeaten 44 from 106 balls.
West Indies, the 1975 and 1979 champions, never recovered after losing their first three wickets with only 16 on the board.
After Darren Sammy had won the toss and elected to bat, Chris Gayle (8) struck Umar Gul straight to Afridi at mid-off.
Devon Smith (7) and Darren Bravo (0) both fell lbw in the space of four balls to Hafeez, who had shared the new ball.
The experienced Guyana pair of Ramnaresh Sarwan and Chanderpaul took the total to 58 before Sarwan was caught by Umar Akmal off Afridi for 24.
Afridi then dismissed Pollard (one) and Devon Thomas off consecutive balls Sammy was dropped by Younis Khan at slip off Saeed Ajmal on one but lasted only one more ball before he was lbw to the off-spinner. Two balls later, Ajmal bowled Devendra Bishoo for a duck.
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