LAUDERHILL: Mohammad Nawaz took three wickets in an over to propel Pakistan to a 14-run win over West Indies in the series-opening Twenty20 cricket international Thursday in Florida.
Pakistan was sent in to bat and posted 178 for six, led by Saim Ayub’s 57 from 38 deliveries.
Debate about that being above or below a par target at this venue was partially answered when West Indies openers Johnson Charles and 18-year-old Jewel Andrew, making his T20 international debut, scored at just over six an over to the halfway point in reply.
After conceding 20 runs in his first three overs, left-arm spinner Nawaz dramatically shifted the contest.
He started the 12th over with a breakthrough to dismiss Andrew for 35 and end a 72-run opening stand, and he added the wickets of Charles (35) and Gudakesh Motie (0) on the fourth and fifth balls as the West Indies slumped to 75-3.
Skipper Shai Hope (2) scooped a full delivery from Ayub into the deep in the next over as West Indies lost four wickets for five runs.
Ayub, who was voted player of the match for his half-century and bowling return of 2-20, said the pitch was challenging to play on so it was important to building partnerships and not panic.
Some lofty tail-end hitting from Jason Holder, who struck four sixes in his unbeaten, 12-ball 30, and Shamar Joseph, who hit 21 from 12, helped West Indies to 164-7 and made the final margin more respectable.
That lopsided contest ended any chance of the West Indies starting the series against Pakistan on a better footing after comprehensive test and T20 series losses to Australia. The Australians wrapped up a historic 8-0 sweep in the Caribbean earlier in the week.
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha said his team “started strong and finished even better.”
A total of closer than 200 was in range for Pakistan early when Ayub and Fakhar Zaman (28) shared an 81-run second-wicket stand to get the score up to 107 in the 12th over.
But Holder trapped Ayub lbw for 57, ending a 38-ball innings that contained five boundaries and two sixes to get the vital breakthrough. Recalled fast bowler Shamar Joseph kept the pressure on Pakistan’s batting lineup and returned 3-30 from his four overs.
The second and third T20s will be held in Lauderhill on Saturday and Sunday before an ODI series in the Caribbean.
