West Indies ended a 34-year One-Day International (ODI) series drought over Pakistan by claiming a magnificent 202-run victory, and a 2-1 series win at Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad.
Brilliant performances from man of the match Shai Hope on 120 not out, and player of the series and fast bowler Jayden Seales who bagged 6/18, delivered a long-awaited victory for the West Indies and breathed a sigh of relief not only maroon fans, but a heavily-criticised head coach Daren Sammy.
Batting first, West Indies got up to a competitive total of 294/6 thanks to Hope’s 18th ODI century knock of 120 not out with support from Justin Greaves’ unbeaten 43 alongside Evin Lewis’ 37 and Roston Chase’ 36.
Seales was the pick of the West Indies bowlers as he completed an outstanding six-wicket haul for 18 runs from 7.2 overs. He was relentless from the start, taking three wickets in his first two overs, before he, Motie and Chase combined to dismantle Pakistan for 92 all out in 29.2 overs.
On ending such a lengthy ODI drought against Pakistan, captain Hope said he was, “extremely proud,” of the team.
West Indies opener Brandon King perished for five in the third over.
Lewis and Keacy Carty took a few overs to settle as they stumbled to 27/1 after eight overs.
Lewis blasted two sixes in the 13th over but was caught on the long-on boundary in the next over for 37 from 54 balls.
Hope then came to the crease and only 11 runs came from the next five overs. Carty did not last, and was dismissed for 17 runs which carried West Indies to 68/3 after 19.1 overs.
Sherfane Rutherford (15) and Hope slowly went on to build a 45-run stance, and set a firm foundation before Rutherford was caught by Talat off Ayub’s off-spin.
Chase joined his captain and the duo breathed new life into their innings as they carried their side to 175/4 on forty overs.
Shah broke the partnership when he shattered Chase’s stumps. Motie (five) struck a boundary, but top-edged the ball back to bowler Nawaz in the same over.
With just seven overs remaining and West Indies at 194/6, Hope upped his game with back-to-back sixes off Nawaz and conceded two sixes and a boundary in an 18-run over off Ahmed.
Hope brought up his 18th ODI century by belting Ali for four.
Hope and Greaves struck 53 runs from the final three overs to close on a competitive 294/6. Hope ended on 120 not out, while Greaves were on 43 not out.
Topping the bowling for Pakistan were Ahmed (2/34) and Shah (2/72).
In reply, Seales provided a mesmerizing start for the maroon as he bagged three top-order wickets inside his two opening overs.
Three balls into the innings, he had Pakistan’s batsman Saim Ayub edged to wicketkeeper Hope and then returned in the third over as he had Abdullah Shaffique caught by Gudakesh Motie before bowling skipper Mohammed Rizwan which sank Pakistan to 8/3 after just three overs.
Key batsmen Babar Azam (nine) and Salman Agha (30) tried to settle the innings but Seales struck again, trapping Azam in front his stumps, as Pakistan stumbled on 24/4.
Agha and new batsman Nawaz (13) struggled and things looked bad for Pakistan as they got to 42/4 from 15 overs.
Nawaz was stumped out by Hope off a delivery from Motie. Talat was then bowled by Chase in the next over, and eight runs later, Agha was caught and bowled by Motie which took Pakistan to 70/7.
Mohammed Nawaz (23 not out) and Shah (six) put on a 22-run partnership, but when Shah was caught and bowled by Seales for his fifth wicket, the remaining two batsmen could not perform as the visitors crumbled for 92 all out.
Seales finished with spectacular figures of 6/18, while Motie snared 2/37 and Chase 1/16.
Hope finished the series as the highest run-scorer (207 runs) with Chase (138 runs) in second while Seales (ten) captured the most wickets ahead of second-placed Shah (five).
