The Windies, chasing Pakistan's massive total of 307 for 8, had been going well until the 33rd over when, at 194 for 3, Ramnaresh Sarwan started the rot which cost them dearly.

The vice-captain, facing spinner Shahid Afridi, made a reckless attempt to hit him over mid-wicket but was fooled by the wrong'un, allowing wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal to complete a tidy stumping.

Sarwan had provided the backbone of the West Indies innings and his dismissal for 87 off 91 balls gave Pakistan the lift they needed.

Just four runs later Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who was on 58 from 64 deliveries, spooned a chest-high catch to Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq at extra cover.

The slower delivery from Rao Iftikhar Anjum had fooled Chanderpaul but it would have been close to being called a wide had he chosen to leave it.

Dwayne Bravo then came to the crease and he too misread a delivery from spinner Afridi to be bowled on middle and off stump for just one, with the Windies suddenly in deep trouble at 203 for 6 in the 35th over.

Wavell Hinds and Courtney Browne then steadied the innings, putting on 54 runs and for a while it looked like the Windies would steal the show.

But Hinds holed out to Inzamam -- who had a splendid day in the field with two good catches -- for 30 and the Windies were at 257 for 7 with the tail exposed.

Pace bowler Ian Bradshaw arrived and departed for a duck, bowled by Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, then Pedro Collins fell for one with the score at 262 for nine in the 46th over.

Iftikhar Anjum wrapped up the innings when he dismissed Courtney Browne for 36, meaning the Windies had lost their their last seven wickets for just 83 runs.

Rana was the main destroyer for Pakistan taking 4-29 off 9.1 overs.

Pakistan's total of 307 for 8 was the second highest international one-day total recorded at the WACA Ground and only the fifth time a team had scored more than 300 at the venue.

The previous highest score was 309 for 6, set by the West Indies against Sri Lanka in 1984.

Pakistan's performance came hard on the heels of their impressive three-wicket win over the previously unbeaten Australians at the same venue on Sunday and is sure to boost them for Friday's first final in Melbourne.

After winning the toss and sending Pakistan in to bat, the West Indies missed several opportunities to put them under pressure.

They paid a heavy price after failing to capitalise on two-clear run-out chances in the 17th and 20th overs which could have seen top-scorer Yousuf Youhana dismissed for either seven or 15.

Instead Yousuf went on to clock a brilliant 106 off 100 balls and together with captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, who made 74, the pair set their team on the road to a big score with a 134-run parnership for the fourth wicket.

Big-hitting Afridi also contributed with his usual flair, belting 23 runs off 10 balls, including two sixes before being bowled by Bradshaw.

Bradshaw was the pick of the West Indian bowlers, taking 3-47 off 10 overs.

(Article: Copyright © 2005 AFP)