Pakistan had won the toss and elected to bat first while they set the 276 runs target for West Indies and Mohammad Nawaz produced the best bowling performance of his career to bundle West Indies out for 155.
Pakistan had won the toss and decided to bat first. Hassan Ali was dropped out of the playing XI, with Mohammad Wasim Jnr brought in. But at the top, it was a comparative example for Pakistan, with a striving Fakhar succumbing to an unconvincing 28-ball 17 as Pakistan made a sluggish beginning notwithstanding precise West Indian bowling.
It was Anderson Phillip, supplanting Jayden Seales in the visitor XI, who got the wicket after Zaman’s top-edged-one.
Babar and Imam took over from that point, steadying the innings for the following fifty runs or so before slowly moving through the gears and nudging the run rate up.
Each of them brought up the half-centuries, the sixth back to back the fifties for each of them, and little seemed to hold up traffic of them raising individual three-figure scores.
Then their partnership was a breakdown when Imam set off for a run without looking up at his captain, who was busy ball-watching and Imam was run-out.
The last ten overs saw the West Indian bowling at their best, putting pressure on Pakistan with clumps of dot balls thanks to some glorious execution, both in terms of line and length and change of pace.
Pakistan had set a total of 275-8 after the end of their innings.
West Indies’ innings began disastrously, with Shaheen Afridi removing their best batter Shai Hope in the first over.
Mayers then crushed Mohammad Wasim for a couple of fours and Shaheen for six straight back over his head as the guests put on 71 in the powerplay.
After that, Mohammad Nawaz came to bowl and deliver some outstanding spells for Pakistan. The game had swung, despite a brief fourth-wicket stand, and Nawaz soon sent the last set batter, Brooks, on his way for 42, trapping him in front as he miscued a sweep to leave them tottering at 102 for 4.
Shadab Khan, at the other end, sent Romario Shepherd packing; by this time all realistic attempts at a chase were done. West Indies had lost four wickets for 18 runs, and keeping in mind that they limped along for another 35 runs, it was inevitable before they were finally given some closure.
West Indies pugnacious start to the chase of 276, Nawaz struck four times to gut the visitors middle-order, figures of 4 for 18 in his allotted ten sealing West Indies fate, and giving Pakistan a 120 run win to wrap up the series 2-0.
“The wicket was double paced, we planned to build partnerships. The ball was spinning as well. We were 10-15 short because we lost back-to-back wickets. We wanted to save Khushdil for the end that’s why we sent him later. We were confident at the break that we could defend this. Nawaz took wickets at crucial junctures. We were under pressure after the first 10 but really happy with the way we fought back,”
says Babar Azam.
“Tough day for us. I thought we bowled well in the first 45 overs but conceded 20 too many. Death bowling has been a problem for us. The guys are young and inexperienced. Hopefully, we’ll get better with every game. Credit must be given to Nawaz who bowled well. It was a challenging wicket. There were some soft dismissals, it wasn’t our day,”
says Nicholas Pooran.
“I was focusing on the basics, the pitch assisted me. The ball was turning, we had an idea in the first innings, particularly after I got out. I have confidence in my batting, I want to do well as an allrounder and improve day by day,”
says Mohammad Nawaz.
Pakistan 275 for 8 (Babar 77, Imam 72, Hosein 3-52) beat West Indies 155 (Brooks 42, Nawaz 4-19, Wasim 3-34) by 120 runs