Pakistan outclassed West Indies in third and final T20 International by 13 runs and also took the series 2-1 played at Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground in Florida on Monday. Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub combined for a 138 opening partnership and Pakistan defeated the West Indies by 13 runs on Sunday to capture their T20 International Series. Pakistan won the series opener by 14 runs but dropped the second match by two wickets to set up a Sunday night decider at Lauderhill, Florida. 

After winning the toss and choosing to bat first, Pakistan were rewarded with a powerhouse performance by Farhan and Ayub. Pakistan went 189 for four as Farhan hammered the hosts for 74 runs on 53 balls, smashing five sixes and three fours, while Ayub lasted 19 overs, finishing on 66 from 49 balls with two sixes and four fours. Set 190 to win, West Indies struck for 30 runs on the first 10 balls from Hasan Ali and Mohammad Nawaz. Jewel Andrew was caught by Hasan Ali at long on, bowled by Haris Rauf for 24, the first West Indies wicket falling at 44. 

Ayub caught Hope bowled out by Nawaz for seven in the ninth over with the hosts still 116 runs from victory. Alick Athanaze lasted 13 overs before being taken for 60, caught by Khushdil Shah bowled by Ayub with West Indies on 110, needing 80 runs off the last 42 deliveries. Chase was retired on the last ball of the 17th over and his replacement, last-ball hero Holder from the win a night earlier, was bowled out by Sufiyan Muqeem two balls later for a duck, leaving the hosts 41 runs shy with 16 balls remaining. 

Rutherford smashed a six to reach a half-century with seven balls remaining before exiting on 51 as West Indies couldn't pull off another last-over comeback. In a dramatic moment during the third T20I, Roston Chase retired out in the 18th over of West Indies’ innings. With the required run rate climbing above 13 per over, Chase—who had scored 15 off 12 deliveries—chose to walk off voluntarily, seemingly acknowledging his inability to find the big hits needed at a crucial juncture.

The move came with West Indies needing 41 runs off just 18 balls.Earlier, anchored by a remarkable opening partnership between Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan, Pakistan posted a competitive total of 189-4 in their allotted 20 overs. After winning the toss and opting to bat first, Pakistan got off to a flying start as openers Ayub Saim and Farhan launched a calculated assault on the West Indies bowling attack, guiding the team to 47-0 by the end of the powerplay. The duo built a solid 50-run partnership and continued to dominate, setting their sights on a series-winning total.

Farhan was particularly impressive, bringing up his third T20I half-century in the 11th over as Pakistan’s total reached 88 without loss. Saim Ayub soon followed suit, registering his third T20I fifty and raising the team’s 100-run opening stand in the 13th over, with Pakistan cruising at 108-0. West Indies finally made a breakthrough in the 17th over when pacer Shamar Joseph removed Farhan for a well-crafted 74 off 53 balls, featuring three boundaries and five sixes, leaving Pakistan at 138-1 in 16.2 overs. 

Hassan Nawaz then joined Ayub and added a quickfire 15 off just seven balls, including two sixes, before falling to Roston Chase, with Pakistan at 158-2 in the 18th over. In the following over, Mohammad Haris was run out for just 2, courtesy of a sharp effort by Jewel Andrew with support from Gudakesh Motie, leaving Pakistan three down. Ayub’s fine innings came to an end in the 19th over when Jason Holder dismissed him for 66 off 49 balls, including four fours and two sixes, with the score at 170-4. 

The final over proved fruitful for Pakistan as Shamar Joseph conceded 19 runs. Khushdil Shah remained unbeaten on 11 off six balls, while Faheem Ashraf contributed a handy 10 off just three balls. For the hosts, Jason Holder, Roston Chase and Shamar Joseph claimed one wicket apiece. President felicitates Greenshirts on winning T20 series President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday congratulated the Pakistan cricket team on winning the T20 series against West Indies. 

The president, in a statement, lauded the national team’s determination, hard work, and teamwork. “Pakistani players have won hearts with their outstanding performance. This victory is the result of the national team’s hard work,” he remarked. The president expressed the hope that the national team would continue to achieve successes in the future too.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)