Mohammad Nawaz played a pivotal role in Pakistan’s victory over West Indies in the opening T20I of the series on Thursday in Florida. His remarkable performance, claiming three wickets in a single over, helped Pakistan secure a 14-run win.
Pakistan batted first and posted a total of 178 for six. Saim Ayub led the way with a superb 57 off 38 balls. The total raised questions about whether it was a par score at the Florida venue.
West Indies’ response initially seemed promising, as openers Johnson Charles and debutant Jewel Andrew managed to score at a steady pace, reaching 72 for no loss at the halfway stage.
However, Mohammad Nawaz changed the course of the match with his brilliant bowling. After conceding 20 runs in his first three overs, Nawaz struck in the 12th over.
He dismissed Andrew for 35, breaking the opening partnership. On the next two deliveries, he claimed the wickets of Johnson Charles (35) and Gudakesh Motie (0), leaving West Indies in deep trouble at 75-3.
The situation worsened for the West Indies when captain Shai Hope (2) was dismissed by Ayub in the following over. Four wickets fell for just five runs, and Pakistan was in control.
Despite some strong late hitting from Jason Holder (30 not out from 12 balls) and Shamar Joseph (21 from 12 balls), West Indies could only manage 164-7, falling short of the target by 14 runs.
Ayub, who was named Player of the Match for his all-round performance, stressed the importance of building partnerships on the challenging pitch. He also took two wickets for 20 runs in his four overs.
Pakistan’s captain Salman Ali Agha praised his team for their strong performance, saying, “We started strong and finished even better.” The victory came after a strong partnership between Ayub and Fakhar Zaman, who added 81 runs for the second wicket.
Pakistan now leads the series 1-0, with the second and third T20Is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday in Lauderhill. The teams will then move on to the ODI series in the Caribbean.
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