1st T20 International
Venue: National Stadium, Karachi
Toss: West Indies won and chose to bowl
Result: Pakistan won by 63 runs
Scoreboard: https://bit.ly/pakvwi1stodi
West Indies made a bright start to the contest when Akeal Hosein removed Pakistan’s leading batsman and captain Babar Azam without scoring off the fourth ball, but then failed to contain opener Mohammad Rizwan, who lashed 78 off 52 balls and Haider Ali, who hit 68 from 39 deliveries, as Pakistan gathered an 200-6 off their 20 overs.
When the impressive Hosein spun one across the right-handed Babar to have him caught at the wicket by Shai Hope for only the third ‘duck’ of his T20 career, West Indies were ecstatic especially after choosing to bowl. Rizwan then quickly stepped on the gas, putting on 34 for the second wicket with Fakhar Zaman (10) and 105 for the third wicket with Haider. Fast bowler Romario Shepherd grabbed 2-43 and left-arm spinner Hosein, had 1-19 from his four overs to be the best for the visitors.
Rizwan hit ten fours, reaching his 12th career half-century off 34 balls in the tenth over while Haider, whose first 12 runs required 14 balls, accelerated to record his third T20I half-century off 28 balls with a six over mid-wicket at the end of the 15th over. Shepherd broke the stand when he had Rizwan caught at deep mid-wicket by Smith at the start of the 16th but Mohammad Nawaz arrived to belt three fours and two sixes in 30 not out off 10 balls.
“I loved the effort and energy from the guys tonight. We are a young side, but it all comes down to execution. I thought we gave away 20 runs in the field. Eight boundaries went in edges so we felt a bit undone there, but I still felt we could have chased down that 200,” said captain Nicholas Pooran said.
In reply, Pooran entertained briefly with a four and two sixes in 18 off ten balls, before losing his off-stump to a yorker from Mohammed Wasim jr in the fourth over. The pacer ended with 4-40. Hope top-scored with 31 while Rovman Powell (23) Smith (24) and Shepherd (21) played some brave shots after West Indies slumped to 88-7 in the 14th over. West Indies were bowled out for 137 off 19 overs.
The two teams will return to the same venue on Tuesday for the second contest in the three-match series. First ball is 6pm local time (9am East Caribbean/8am Jamaica).
-CWI
