Pakistan Women and West Indies Women took on each other in the third T20I at the National Stadium in Karachi.
The dramatic and intense match concluded with the thrilling victory of the visitors as they ended up sealing the 5-match series and taking a 3-0 lead with 2 matches left to be played.
Hayley Matthews guides West Indies to a competitive total
Pakistan Women, opting to bowl first after winning the toss, aimed to restrict the West Indies Women’s batting lineup. The West Indies Women’s innings commenced with determination, led by a stellar performance from captain Hayley Matthews.
Her impressive knock of 68 runs off 49 deliveries, comprising 10 boundaries, laid a strong foundation for her team. Despite some resistance from Shemaine Campbelle (31 runs off 38 balls), the West Indies Women’s inning concluded at 132/5 in their allocated 20 overs.
Sidra Ameen’s knock in vain after Matthews and Afy Fletcher’s bowling show
Pakistan Women, in pursuit of the target, faced a challenging task against the West Indies Women’s bowling attack. Opener Sidra Ameen (63 runs off 58 balls) showcased resilience with a valiant half-century, but the rest of the batting order struggled to capitalize on partnerships. Despite contributions from Ayesha Zafar (19 runs off 22 balls) and captain Nida Dar (17 runs off 11 balls), Pakistan Women fell agonizingly short of the target, finishing at 130/8 in 20 overs.
The West Indies Women’s bowling unit displayed commendable discipline, with notable performances from Matthews (2 wickets for 22 runs) and Afy Fletcher (2 wickets for 20 runs). Their collective effort restricted Pakistan Women’s chase and secured a thrilling victory by a narrow margin of 2 runs.
Windies skipper Matthews, for her exceptional all-round display with both bat and ball, was rightfully awarded the Player of the Match accolade.
Both teams will now play the remaining two T20Is, scheduled on May 02 and 03.