Napier: West Indies made heavy work of their push for a World Cup quarter-final place before seeing off the UAE by six wickets as the group stage headed for a thrilling conclusion with three teams battling for the two remaining spots in the knockout round.
They lost four wickets chasing their modest target of 176, with Johnson Charles (55) and Jonathan Carter (50 not out) the major contributors as the Test side sealed victory in the 31st over of their innings at Napier’s McLean Park.
But such is their net run-rate, the West Indies will go through to the knockout phase unless Pool B rivals Ireland and Pakistan tie or suffer a no result in their match in Adelaide later Sunday.
“I’m extremely pleased with the way the guys came out and played,” said West Indies captain Jason Holder.
“We needed to win by a certain margin. We had to show positive intent. We knew we had to finish the game inside 36 overs and we did it.”
Earlier, a stubborn century partnership by Amjad Javed (56) and Nasir Aziz (60) guided the United Arab Emirates to 175.
Javed and Aziz put on 107 for the seventh wicket after the UAE were struggling at 46-6.
The West Indies, without injured opener Chris Gayle who failed to shake off a back injury, were indebted to Holder who took four for 27, while Jerome Taylor had figures of three for 63.
But once Holder had used up his 10 overs, Javed and Aziz found the middle overs attack of Kemar Roach much to their liking.
Aziz, in only his third ODI and not required to bat in the first two, looked very accomplished as he smacked eight fours in his 60 off 86 deliveries.
Javed topped his previous best of 42 as he reached his first half-century and with Aziz he posted the equal fourth-highest partnership in the UAE’s ODI history after also putting on 107 with Shaiman Anwar earlier in the World Cup against Ireland.
But once Aziz and Javed were dismissed the innings folded quickly with the last three wickets falling for eight runs.
West Indies are now in line to face tournament co-hosts New Zealand at Wellington in a March 21 quarter-final.
The winners of the Ireland-Pakistan match will be guaranteed a quarter-final spot in a fixture taking place almost eight years to the day since the Irish knocked Pakistan out of the 2007 World Cup. (AFP)
