World Cup 2019: Windies trounce Pakistan by 7 wickets as Thomas steals show on debut

West Indies chased down a paltry 106-run target set by Pakistan in just 13.4 overs. Veteran batsman Chris Gayle led the run chase with a belligerent fifty which was studded with three sixes. Gayle was well supported by Nicholas Pooran who compiled a breezy 34.

West Indies opened their 2019 World Cup campaign in clinical fashion by registering a comprehensive seven-wicket win over Pakistan at Trent Bridge on Thursday. West Indies chased down a paltry 106-run target set by Pakistan in just 13.4 overs. Veteran batsman Chris Gayle led the run chase with a belligerent fifty which was studded with three sixes. Gayle was well supported by Nicholas Pooran who compiled a breezy 34. Pakistan made some inroads into the Windies batting lineup with Mohammad Amir scalping the wickets of Shai Hope, Darren Bravo and the dangerman Chris Gayle but it was just a matter of time when the  Windies cantered home with relative ease. Earlier in the match, West Indies seamers produced a sensational display of fast bowling to bowl out Pakistan for a paltry score of 105 . The Windies pace battery were all over the Pakistani batting lineup right from ball one on a green deck which had both pace and bounce. Windies were provided the early breakthroughs by Sheldon Cottrell and Andre Russell who dismissed the Pakistani openers, Fakhar Zaman and Imam Ul Haq. Debutant Oshane Thomas then came into the attack to send the prodigious strokemaker Babar Azam back to the pavilion. Before Pakistan could contemplate any sort of rebuilding in an innings which was in disdain, Holder and Thomas produced a fiery spell to wreck the Pakistani middle order. Thomas came back into the attack to polish off the Pakistani tail.