West Indies batsman Nicholas Pooran’s fireworks in vain as Pakistan win second T20I

By IANS

GUYANA: Nicholas Pooran’s unbeaten 62 off 33 deliveries went in vain as Pakistan held on to win the second T20 International by seven runs here on Saturday. The win gave Pakistan 1-0 lead in the five-match series after the first game produced no result.

Pakistan made 157/8 in 20 overs and restricted West Indies to 150/4.

With West Indies needing 74 off 30 balls, it seemed like Pakistan had the upper hand. However, Pooran hammered six sixes and four fours to bring the equation down to 20 off the last over over.

Kieron Pollard got a double and then was dismissed off the second ball. With 18 off four, pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi produced two dot balls to take the game away from West Indies.

Mohammed Hafeez, who opened the bowling took 1/6 in four overs, to deny West Indies a flying start in the powerplay.

Earlier, West Indies fast bowler Jason Holder had captured four wickets to restrict Pakistan to 157 for eight wickets.

For Pakistan, captain Babar Azam top scored with 51 off 40 balls while Mohammad Rizwan smashed 46 off 36 balls.

West Indies captain Kieron Pollard won the toss and opted to bowl.

Openers Rizwan (2x4s, 2x6s) and Sharjeel Khan (20) put on 46 for the first wicket. Then, Rizwan and Azam added 67 for the second wicket to add strength to the innings.

Then there was a middle order collapse when Dwayne Bravo dismissed veteran Mohammad Hafeez (6) and Fakhar Zaman (15) off successive deliveries to wrest the initiative. In the very next over, Holder dismissed Hasan Ali and Sohaib Maqsood off consecutive balls to take control as the tail failed to contribute.

Holder finished with four wickets for 26 runs in four overs while Bravo bagged two for 24 in four overs.

The first T20 had ended in a ‘no result’ after the rains disrupted the first innings, and the match could not be resumed after that.

Brief Scores

Pakistan: 157/8 wickets in 20 overs (Babar Azam 51, Mohammad Rizwan 46, Jason Holder 4/26, Dwayne Bravo 2/24) beat West Indies 150/4 in 20 overs (N Pooran 62 not out, E Lewis 35)