The West Indies rediscovered their winning form in time to register a comprehensive
54-run victory over former champions Pakistan in the cricket World Cup
opening one-dayer here on Tuesday.The hosts, coming off a series loss in India
and an uninspiring performance in the warm-up games, produced an all-round display
to clinch the Group 'D' game at Sabina Park. 
Put in to bat, the West Indies recovered from initial
hiccups to post a challenging 241 for nine on a sporting track, and then skittled
out Pakistan for 187 with more than two overs to spare.
Ramnaresh Sarwan (49) helped them recover from the early
loss of Chris Gayle (two) before Marlon Samuels (63) stepped on
the gas with a cavalier innings.
Dwayne Smith (32) then provided the late thrust even
as the Pakistani bowlers lost their grip on the proceedings.
Pakistan got off to a shaky start when they lost Imran Nazir
to the third ball of the innings and then the in-form Younis Khan in
the fourth over with only 17 on the board.
But the match really slipped out of the 1992 World Cup winners'
hands when captain Inzamam ul Haq (36) and Mohammad Yousuf (37)
consumed 18-1/2 overs while adding 60 runs for the fourth wicket.
If Darren Powell (2-42) did the damage with the new
ball, it was the nagging accuracy of Smith (3-36) that pulled the rug from under
Pakistan's feet.
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