Pakistan secured a 14-run victory against the West Indies in the first of three T20 matches, thanks to a stellar all-round performance by Saim Ayub. In this thrilling encounter held in Lauderhill, Pakistan batted first and scored 178 runs for the loss of 6 wickets in 20 overs.
WI vs PAK: The West Indies' poor form continues. After their defeat against Australia, they have now suffered a significant loss against Pakistan at the start of the T20 series. In the first T20 match played in Lauderhill, Pakistan won by 14 runs, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Pakistan's Innings: A Solid Score of 178/6
Batting first, the Pakistani team scored 178 runs for 6 wickets in 20 overs. Opening batsman Saim Ayub played a brilliant innings of 57 runs (38 balls, 5 fours, 2 sixes), providing a solid start to the team. Besides him, Fakhar Zaman (28 runs), Mohammad Rizwan (22 runs), and Iftikhar Ahmed (20 runs) also made valuable contributions.
For the West Indies, Jason Holder was the most successful bowler. He took 2 wickets for 29 runs in 4 overs. However, the rest of the bowlers failed to contain Pakistan's scoring rate.
All-rounder Saim Ayub Shines
The biggest hero of this match was Saim Ayub. After scoring a half-century in batting, he also showed his brilliance in bowling, taking 2 wickets. By conceding just 20 runs in 2 overs and taking 2 wickets, he turned the match in Pakistan's favor. Saim was also awarded the "Player of the Match" title for this all-round performance.
Chasing the target of 179 runs, the West Indies team had an excellent start. Johnson Charles and young batsman Jewel Andrew formed a 72-run partnership for the first wicket. Both played identical innings of 35 runs, providing a solid platform to the team. But after that, the West Indies lost three wickets within 5 runs, which faltered their innings. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Pakistan's bowlers curbed the run rate and increased the pressure.
Middle Order Flops, Finishers Fail
The West Indies' middle order completely failed. Experienced batsmen like Nicholas Pooran, Shai Hope, and Rovman Powell could not play big innings. In the last overs, Jason Holder and Shamar Joseph tried to adopt an aggressive approach, but it was too late. The entire team could only score 164 runs for 7 wickets in 20 overs and lost the match by 14 runs.
- Pakistan's bowlers showed excellent control under pressure.
- Shadab Khan bowled economically, giving away just 23 runs in 4 overs.
- Apart from Saim Ayub, Hasan Ali and Haris Rauf also took wickets in the middle overs and slowed down the run rate.
With this win, Pakistan has taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Both the team's captain and coach praised the players' performance and expressed hope that this momentum will continue in the next matches as well. On the other hand, the pressure has increased on the West Indies team. They will have to win the next match at all costs to stay in the series.
