Massive Pakistan collapse hands Windies T20I series win

KARACHI: West Indies Women clinched the five-match T20I series 3-0 after a shocking collapse from Pakistan, in which they lost six wickets for just 10 runs to lose the third match by two runs here at the National Bank Stadium on Tuesday night.

West Indies scored 132 for five with skipper and the player of the match, Hayley Matthews, scoring 68. Pakistan were 115 for two in 16.1 overs before the West Indies bowlers pulled off a stunning win.

West Indies earlier whitewashed Pakistan in ODIs by 3-0.

Pakistan’s openers Ayesha Zafar (19) and Sidra Ameen (63) gave a perfect 64-run start in nine overs.

Sidra looked in fine nick during the 58-ball knock with seven fours. Sidra also stitched a 23-run stand for the second wicket with Muneeba Ali (12) and 28 runs for the third wicket with captain Nida Dar (17).

However, it was after Nida’s wicket that Pakistan’s batting suffered a shocking collapse as Aliya, Fatima Sana, Natalia, and Najiha Alvi failed to get going.

Matthews continued her fairytale run in the series as she took two key wickets, while Fletcher also took two. Conell and Alleyne picked one a piece.

Matthews also remained the stand-out batter for the West Indies, scoring a well-crafted 68 off 49 balls with ten fours.

Opener Rashia Williams got out for one when the visitors’ score was 18, but an 89-run partnership for the second wicket between Matthews and Shemaine Campbelle (31) kept West Indies well on the course of posting a huge score, having four overs and eight wickets in hand.

However, the Pakistani bowlers did well to curtail the run-flow, conceding just 25 runs and taking three wickets in the last four overs.

For Pakistan, Fatima Sana took two for 22, while Tuba Hasan and Nida picked one apiece.

Aaliyah Alleyne cleaned up Nida Dar in the 17th over to keep West Indies alive, but Pakistani panic properly set in when Ameen missed an expansive inside out drive and Matthews knocked back the top of off. The next ball saw Fatima Sana spoon one to short cover-point, and two more wickets fell in the following over, including a needless run out that revealed the nerves that had clouded the hosts’ thoughts.

The three overs before the final one saw just eight runs scored, meaning another 12 were required in the final one.

The hosts never looked like getting there, and by the time the final ball was helped away for a boundary, the game, and the series, was already beyond Pakistan.