Pakistan Wraps Up T20I Series Over West Indies with Commanding Triumph in Florida
At the closing fixture of the series hosted at Central Broward Regional Park in Florida, Pakistan narrowly prevailed over a resilient West Indies side by 13 runs to claim the T20I contest with a 2-1 result. series win. The contest was marked by determination, moments of individual brilliance, and some unexpected strategic choices from both teams.
Confident Start: Pakistan’s Openers Deliver Early Momentum
Upon winning the toss, skipper Agha Salman decided to bat up front, indicating his confidence in the side’s strength to register a defendable score. The opening pair of Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub got off to a commanding start, bringing up 100 runs without the loss of any wicket. Despite their partnership looking solid, the tempo at times felt conservative by modern T20 standards.
Farhan was the first to fall, scoring 74 from 53 deliveries, including 3 fours and 5 sixes. He was dismissed by Alzarri Joseph in the 17th over. Shortly after, Hassan Nawaz added a quick 15 runs before holing out off Roston Chase.
Saam Ayub narrowly missed a half-century, dismissed on the final delivery of the 19th over after scoring 66 off 49 balls. Meanwhile, Mohammad Haris was run out for just 2, and Pakistan looked slightly short of acceleration heading into the final over.
Finishing Surge
Enter Khushdil Shah and Faheem Ashraf. Their cameo partnership added a much-needed 19 runs in the last over, pushing Pakistan’s total to a competitive 189/4. This was the highest total posted by either team during the three-match series.
| Top Scorers (Pakistan) | Runs | Balls | Fours | Sixes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sahibzada Farhan | 74 | 53 | 3 | 5 |
| Saam Ayub | 66 | 49 | 4 | 2 |
| Hassan Nawaz | 15 | -- | 0 | 2 |
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Series Summary and Key Absence
This showdown emerged as the series' most crucial juncture, after Pakistan drew first blood in the opener and West Indies pulled off a nail-biting win in game two. Notably, Fakhar Zaman missed the final T20 due to injury and has now been ruled out of the upcoming ODI leg. Khushdil Shah took his place in the XI.
West Indies Attack Early But Lose Steam
Chasing 190, the West Indies batters exploded out of the blocks. Alick Athanaze and Jewell Andrew combined for 33 runs within just two overs, playing with aggression and authority. Athanaze cracked six crisp strokes to the fence and cleared the ropes once to notch up his fifty in just 31 balls.
Despite the early aggression, Pakistan’s bowlers regained command of the game. Haris Rauf dismissed Andrew for 24 in the fifth over, slowing down the momentum. By the 10th over, the required run rate had started climbing steeply.
Pivotal Bowling Interventions
- Saam Ayub struck in the 13th over to remove Athanaze for 60 (8 fours, 1 six).
- Sufiyan Muqeem bowled a brilliant spell, conceding only 20 runs in his 4 overs and bowling Jason Holder for a duck.
- Roston Chase retired out tactically in the 17th over after taking a single, paving the way for Holder’s brief cameo.
| Pakistan Bowling Stats | Overs | Runs Conceded | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sufiyan Muqeem | 4 | 20 | 1 |
| Haris Rauf | -- | -- | 1 |
| Hassan Ali | 3 | 38 | 1 |
Final Over Thriller
West Indies needed 25 runs from the final six balls. Sherfane Rutherford, who had already brought up a 50 off 32 deliveries (4 fours, 3 sixes), was the key man. Nonetheless, he got out early in the over—caught by Farhan off Hassan Ali—effectively concluding the game.
Gudakesh Motie attempted to sustain the pursuit with a late six, but the target was too challenging. West Indies wrapped up their innings at 176 for 6 at the end of the allotted 20 overs.
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Debate Over Player of the Series
Though Mohammad Nawaz was officially named Player of the Series for his consistent bowling throughout the tour, some fans and analysts believe others were equally deserving. Saim Ayub’s impactful showing across departments, along with Sufiyan Muqeem’s controlled bowling during the central phases, stirred notable chatter across online platforms.
“Is Nawaz really the MVP, or did Muqeem’s middle-over mastery win us the series?” one fan asked on X (formerly Twitter).
Regardless, the three-match battle delivered excitement, innovation, and a glimpse into how Pakistan is evolving in T20 cricket.
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