West Indies Women’s A Team turned in another hugely impressive performance to win the third and final 50-over match against Pakistan A team on Sunday. Two teenagers Djenaba Joseph with the bat and Jahzara Claxton with the ball led the way for the West Indies.
The 19-year-old Joseph made an unbeaten fifty to lead a successful run chase as West Indies beat the hosts by three wickets to clinch the three-match series. Set a target of 164 at the Gaddafi Stadium, West Indies got over the line in the 45th over, with the 19-year-old Joseph top-scoring with 51 not out off 84 balls.
Joseph, already with seven senior international appearances under her belt, struck seven fours and anchored key partnerships of 32 for the third wicket with opener Shunelle Sawh (37) and 45 for the seventh wicket with Cherry-Ann Fraser (18)
Earlier, West Indies bowled out Pakistan for 162 in the 45th, with Sidra Nawaz (27), Anosha Nasir (23), and Shawaal Zulfiqar (22) all getting started but failing to carry on.
Claxton, the 17-year-old seam bowler led the West Indies attack with 4-19 while left-arm spinner Zaida James (2-25) and off-spinner Sheneta Grimmond (2-40) supported with two wickets apiece.
Shawaal and Evman Fatima (21) handed the Pakistanis a solid start as they posted 49 off 56 balls for the first wicket before wickets tumbled. They fell in successive overs, Claxton ripping through the top order as the hosts lost six wickets for 14 runs in 31 balls, to plunge to 63-6 in the 15th over.
The recovery came courtesy of a 40-run, seventh-wicket stand between Sidra and Nasir, and then a 39-run last-wicket partnership between Humna Bilal (21 not out) and number 11 Saima Malik (12).
In reply, West Indies were given a fine start by Sawh who counted six boundaries in a 73-ball knock as she shared an opening stand of 53 with Shabika Gajnabi who made 24 from 41 balls with four fours.
Sawh added a further 32 for the third with Joseph before departing at the end of the 30th, her dismissal leading to a collapse which saw the visitors lose four wickets for two runs off 12 balls, to be in trouble on 106-6 at the end of the 32nd. However, Joseph batted brilliantly to add a crucial 45 for the seventh wicket with Fraser to see off the home side’s challenge.
–CWI
