By Azad Ali From Caribbean Life

West Indies has plunged to number nine in the International Cricket Council (ICC) International rankings after Pakistan pulled off an emphatic 3-0 series whitewash against the regional team in the third and final One-Day International (IDI) series at the Sheik Stayed Stadium on Wednesday.

The defeat also saw the Caribbean side slip out of the top eight in the One-Day International rankings, with Pakistan replacing them.

It was West Indies second whitewash at the hands of Pakistan after they lost the Twenty20 series (3-0) a week before.

Pakistan batsman Babar Azam slammed a record third successive One-Day International century, in the process he became only the second batsman after South African Quinton de Kock to hit centuries in each game of a three-match series, and the third Pakistan player to score three successive One-Day International hundreds after Zaheer Abass and Saeed Anwar.

The 21-year-old right-hander struck 117 off 106 balls, while captain and opener Azhar Ali scored 101 from 109 deliveries.

It was the first time in three years that Pakistan surpassed 300 twice in a series.

Pakistan opted to bat first and made 308 for six wickets off their 50 overs.

West Indies never rose to the challenge and crumbled to an embarrassing 172 all out off 44 overs.

They were 75 for one in the 18th over but with the run rate building up, none of the batsmen took up the challenge.

Wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin top-scored with a painstaking 37 off 70 delivers, while opener Kraigg Braithwaite got 32 from 44 balls and captain Jason Holder made 26. The other batsmen failed to get into double figures, with the exception of Kieron Pollard who made 11.

For more on this story go to: http://www.caribbeanlifenews.com/stories/2016/10/2016-10-14-azad-cricket-rankings-cl.html

IMAGE: West Indies cricket crest