The West Indies were pushed all the way before finally pulling off a thrilling five-wicket win over Afghanistan on the penultimate ball in their final warm-up match at the ICC Global Cricket Academy.
Chasing 250 to win, West Indies needed eight runs in the last over with skipper Darren Sammy smashing a crucial boundary off the fifth ball to take his team home.
“It was a great win for us. It was this kind of a match we were looking for that could keep our confidence going to Bangladesh,” said Sammy after the victory.
The chase was made easy for the tourists after openers Danza Hyatt and Kieran Powell gave them a solid start putting on 93 runs for the opening wicket with both the batsmen rotating the strike sensibly.
Hyatt made 53 from 79 balls with seven boundaries and one six, while Powell scored three boundaries in his 37 from 51 balls, before Amir Hamza accounted for both men.
Marlon Samuels had a good start but succumbed scoring 21. Devon Thomas and Carlos Braithwaite came up with another significant partnership adding 85 runs for the fourth wicket and it looked West Indies were cruising home comfortably.
Thomas finally fell at 58 from 58 balls including four boundaries and two sixes and Braithwaite was removed by Dawlat Zadran for 40 from 58 deliveries. This changed the tide and the match got closer with 31 runs required from the last five overs.
Sammy (20) and Russell (8) handled the pressure well and ensured the team sailed past the target. Sammy said: “It was a good match and Afghanistan really played well. They have a good team. We are looking forward to playing Bangladesh and I’m sure the boys had a good practice playing here.”
Batting first, Afghanistan opener Jawed Ahmedi scored a half century from 78 balls to give his side a positive start. Skipper Nowraz Mangal was in brilliant form and found the gaps well but was unlucky to miss out on a well deserved century when he was trapped in front by Andre Russel on 97.
Mangal said: “It was a great match for us. We were disappointed not to win it. But getting so close against a top team like West Indies itself was a good result for us. This performance will give us much needed confidence going into the ICC Intercontinental Cup against the UAE,” he added.
