Pakistan v West Indies: Babar Azam hundred helps hosts to series win

Babar Azam smashed his second successive century as Pakistan beat West Indies by 59 runs in the second ODI in Sharjah, to secure a series win with one to play.

Azam (126) went six runs better than his 120 in the opening win on Friday, while Shoaib Malik also hammered 90 off 84 balls, to anchor Pakistan's 337-5 from their 50 overs.

Azam and Malik's 169-run third-wicket stand powered Pakistan to their highest ever total against the West Indies in an ODI, and the visitors rarely threatened in reply; finishing 278-7.

After Pakistan raced through to 40-0 inside the first five overs, having won the toss and opted to bat first, Jason Holder (2-51) removed Azhar Ali (9) lbw and debutant Alzarri Joseph (2-62) picked up Sharjeel Khan (24) to peg Pakistan back.

But it only succeeded in bringing Azam and Malik together - the former's 125-ball 123 spiced with nine boundaries and a six.

Malik, meanwhile, smashed six sixes and three fours, but fell 10 short of his ninth ODI hundred; dismissed by Sunil Narine (1-39) in the 34th over.

Despite the setback, the Pakistan innings hardly skipped a beat as Sarfraz Ahmed came in and blasted an unbeaten 60 off 47 balls, helping lift Pakistan over 300 when Azam fell to Joseph with five overs to go.

With a target of 338, it was a strange West Indies reply for much of their chase, as although Kraigg Brathwaite (39 off 66) and Darren Bravo (61 off 74) added 89 for the second wicket, they did so at a slow pace.

It meant that when Bravo was run out in the 29th over, the West Indies were 127-3 and already requiring near-on 10 an over for the rest of the innings.

Marlon Samuels injected some much-needed free-scoring to the West Indies innings with his 52-ball 57, and received decent support from Denesh Ramdin (34 off 29).

But when Wahab Riaz (2-48) dismissed both in consecutive overs, the visitors' hopes of a series-tying victory were all but ended.

Though West Indies skipper Jason Holder showed some defiance with an unbeaten 31 off 26 balls, Pakistan comfortably held out for the win to clinch the series, and they remain unbeaten after triumphing 3-0 in the T20I series.

The final ODI of the series between Pakistan and West Indies takes place in Sharjah on Wednesday.