Cricket: Waqar inspires collapse

Fast bowler Waqar Younis and leg-spinner Shahid Afridi shared seven West Indies wickets as Pakistan coasted to a four-wicket victory in the first match of the World Series Cup best-of-three finals in Sydney yesterday.

West Indies slumped from 99 without loss to 179 for 9 in their 50 overs. Wicketkeeper Moin Khan, who hit an unbeaten 38, hoisted a six over long- off from the gentle leg-spin of Shivnerine Chanderpaul to complete Pakistan's win at 185 for 6 with 70 balls to spare.

The young Pakistani team looked like winners after West Indies collapsed in dramatic fashion, losing seven wickets for 24 in 10 overs. Waqar, back to his best this week after a month off with a shoulder injury, took three wickets for one run in a devastating nine-ball spell.

Afridi did enormous damage by having Brian Lara caught and bowled for nought before hitting 53 from 54 balls. The veteran right-hander Ijaz Ahmed (60) took up where Afridi left off. The second game is at Melbourne on Monday. Pakistan have never won the competition in five previous attempts, while West Indies have won it six times.

WORLD SERIES CUP (Sydney, first of best-of-three finals, 50 overs): West Indies 179-9 (Waqar Younis 4-43); Pakistan 185-6 (Ijaz Ahmed 60, Shahid Afridi 53). Pakistan won by 4 wkts.