Nawaz leads Pak to win against WI
Mohammad Nawaz produced a game-changing over, claiming three wickets to seal a 14-run win for Pakistan over West Indies in the first T20I of the three-match series at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground, Lauderhill on Thursday evening.
After being put in to bat, Pakistan posted a competitive 178 for six, courtesy of a fluent 57 off 38 balls by left-hander Saim Ayub, who later returned figures of 2 for 20 to earn the player of the match award. Pakistan T20I captain Salman Ali Agha expressed satisfaction with his team's performance after securing a 14-run win over West Indies in the opening match of the three-match series at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium on Friday.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Agha appreciated the all-round effort from his side and pointed out the key moments that shifted the game in Pakistan's favour.
"It was a great game. We assessed the conditions well, batted and finished strongly. We started well with the ball, dominated the middle overs, and the spinners were outstanding. Even though we didn't take a wicket in the first 10 overs, we managed to control the game," Agha said.
He highlighted Mohammad Nawaz's match-defining over, which saw the left-arm spinner take three wickets and turn the tide in Pakistan's favour.
"The 12th over brought us three wickets, and that was the turning point. Once the ball got older, it became difficult to bat against spin, and I was just waiting for that moment," he added.
Agha also mentioned that the pitch offered equal conditions for both teams.
"The pitch played the same for both teams. It was easier to score against the new ball, but as it aged, it began to grip and turn, making batting much harder," he concluded.
In pursuit of the 179-run target, West Indies were 72 for no loss midway through their innings. Debutant Jewel Andrew (35, 33b, 1x4) and Johnson Charles (35, 36b, 2x4s, 2x6s) gave the hosts a steady start. However, the momentum shifted dramatically in the 12th over when Nawaz, the left-arm spinner, struck thrice in five deliveries.
He first removed Andrew to break the partnership, before dismissing Charles and Gudakesh Motie (0, 1b) in the same over to reduce West Indies from 72 without loss to 75 for three. Nawaz finished with figures of 4-0-23-3.
The collapse continued in the following over as Saim claimed the prized scalp of West Indies captain Shai Hope (2, 5b). Despite late resistance from Jason Holder (30 not out, 12b, 4x6s) and Shamar Joseph (21 not out, 12b, 1x4, 2x6s), the hosts ended on 164 for seven, falling 14 runs short.
Earlier, after the dismissal of Sahibzada Farhan (14, 12b, 2x4s) with 26 runs on the board, Saim who struck five fours and two sixes in his 38-ball knock, stitched an 81-run second-wicket partnership with Fakhar Zaman (28, 24b, 2x4s, 1x6).
The stand was broken when right-arm pacer Holder trapped Saim leg-before with the score on 107. Right-handed batter Hasan Nawaz (24, 18b, 1x4, 2x6s) was another contributor in the 20s, as the touring side closed their innings on 178 for six from 20 overs.
For West Indies, fast bowler Joseph took three wickets for 30 from four overs, applying pressure in the latter stages of Pakistan's innings.
The second T20I will take place at the same venue on Saturday.
Player of the match – Saim Ayub (Pakistan)
Pakistan will feature in a tri-series
The Green Shirts will participate in the tri-series involving Afghanistan and the UAE from 29 August to 7 September at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
The T20I tournament will serve as a launching pad for the teams to prepare for and acclimatise to the conditions ahead of the eight-team ACC Men's T20 Asia Cup, scheduled to take place in the UAE from 9 to 28 September.
The opening match of the tri-series tournament will be played between Afghanistan and Pakistan on Friday, 29 August, with the first ball to bowled at 7pm local time. Each team will play the others twice, giving all sides at least four matches before the top two teams qualify for the final, scheduled on 7 September.