West Indies beat Pakistan by 25 runs to stay unbeaten in T20I tri-series

DUBLIN: West Indies maintained their winning start to the women’s T20I tri-series in Ireland with a 25-run victory over Pakistan at Castle Avenue on Friday after posting 199/6 and then restricting Pakistan to 174/8.

Chasing 200, Pakistan lost early ground as three wickets fell inside the first four overs with 28 runs on the board. Saira Jabeen then tried to revive the innings with 30 off 19 balls before she was dismissed by Ashmini Munisar on the last ball of the powerplay after a 24-run stand with Rameen Shamim.

Shamim and Iram Javed added 32 for the fourth wicket, but both were run out in quick succession. With Pakistan at 112/6 in 13.5 overs, Aliya Riaz and captain Fatima Sana put together a 27-run partnership to keep the chase alive. Aliya top-scored for Pakistan with 37 from 28 balls, hitting eight boundaries, while Fatima made 27 off 14 deliveries with two sixes and two fours before she was dismissed on the second ball of the final over when 30 were still needed from four balls.

Shawnisha Hector conceded only four runs from the last four deliveries as West Indies completed a comfortable defence of their total. Hector and Chinelle Henry took two wickets each, while Jahzara Claxton and Munisar claimed one apiece.

West Indies build strong total

West Indies captain Hayley Matthews chose to bat first, and the decision paid off as her side reached 199/6 in 20 overs despite not having a half-century scorer. Matthews gave the innings early momentum with 40 off 20 balls before Diana Baig dismissed her on the final ball of the fifth over with the score at 57.

Pakistan briefly pulled things back when Nashra Sandhu and Rameen Shamim removed Deandra Dottin for 17 and Qiana Joseph for four in successive overs, reducing West Indies to 66/3. Stafanie Taylor then countered with 39 off 23 balls, including four fours and two sixes, and shared a 44-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Claxton.

Taylor was dismissed in the 13th over and Claxton fell in the next, leaving West Indies on 122/5. Jannillea Glasgow and Henry then ensured the innings did not lose momentum, adding 61 runs for the sixth wicket. Glasgow made 42 off 25 balls with seven fours before being run out, while Henry finished unbeaten on 33 from 17 deliveries, striking four fours and a six.

For Pakistan, Sandhu and Shamim took two wickets each, while Baig returned figures of 1/58 in four overs.

Standings and next fixture

The result gave West Indies their second successive win in the tri-series and kept them at the top of the standings. Pakistan, beaten in their opening match of the competition, will next face hosts Ireland at the same venue on Sunday.