Nicholas Pooran's heroics go in vain, Pakistan hold their nerves to go 1-0 up against West Indies

Pakistan took a 1-0 lead in the four-match T20I series against West Indies after winning the second T20I by 7 runs in Guyana. Chasing 158 in 20 overs, West Indies were restricted to 150/4 in 20 overs. 

The hosts had a disappointing start to the chase after they lost Andre Fletcher on the second delivery of the innings for a duck. 

Chris Gayle who had come in at number three stitched a partnership of 31 runs with opener Evin Lewis. Gayle was eventually cleaned up by Hasan Ali for 16 off 20. 

The home side was now reduced to 31/2 when Lewis was joined by Shimron Hetmyer and the two batsmen put 39 runs on the board for the third wicket before Hetmyer departed 17 off 18.

West Indies were 76/3 when Lewis got retired hurt and the hosts had two new batsmen in Nicholas Pooran and skipper Kieron Pollard at the crease. 

Pooran took on the Pakistan bowling attack and hammered them all around the park to notch up an unbeaten 62 off 33 that included six sixes and four fours during the course. 

Pooran along with Pollard scored 64 runs for the fourth wicket before Pollard walked back to the pavilion for 13 off 14 in the last over. 

West Indies needed 18 off the last four balls but they could only manage to get 10 runs eventually and failed to go over the line. 

For Pakistan, it was Mohammad Hafeez who returned with some brilliant figures of 1/6 in 4 overs while Shadab Khan also bowled an economical spell. The spinner didn’t pick any wickets but gave only 22 runs in allotted four overs. 

Earlier, after batting first, Pakistan managed to put 157/8 in 20 overs. Sharjeel Khan and Mohammad Rziwan provided the visitors with a decent start as the two batsmen scored 46 for the first wicket before Sharjeel departed for 20 off 16. 

Rizwan was then joined by captain Babar Azam in the middle. They stitched a stand of 67 for the second wicket before Rizwan was dismissed for 46 off 36, courtesy a runout. 

Babar though continued his form and scored yet another half-century before getting out to Jason Holder. But the captain’s scalp saw a fall of wickets at a quick succession as the middle-order failed to fire and the visiting team scored 157/8 in 20 overs. 

Holder bagged a four-wicket haul for West Indies after giving away just 26 runs in 4 overs while Dwayne Bravo picked up a couple of wickets at the cost of 24 runs in his four overs. 

Pakistan captain Babar Azam admitted that the side was 10-15 runs short but also lauded the efforts of his bowling unit. 

“We were 10-15 runs short after the rain. But a nice victory. Bowlers bowled really very well. Credit to our bowlers, they bowled really well,” he said after the match. 

The two sides will now lock horns in the third match at the same venue on Sunday.