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29 March 2024

Pakistan humbles West Indies again in 2nd T20

Photo: AP

Published
By AP

Pakistan notched its highest ever total in a Twenty20 and humbled the West Indies again in a thumping 82-run victory in the second match for a series win on Monday.

Babar Azam smashed an unbeaten 97 off 58 balls and young Hussain Talat scored his maiden T20 half-century with 63 as Pakistan cruised to 205-3 after it won the toss.

The West Indies never looked challenging and was bowled out for 123 in 19.2 overs, losing its last nine wickets for 73 runs, and last five for 16.

Opening batsman Chadwick Walton scored 40 off 29 balls, and it was downhill from there. The next best score was 21 by Denesh Ramdin.

Fast bowler Mohammad Amir picked up 3-22 after the top order was tied down by spinners Shadab Khan (2-23) and Mohamad Nawaz (1-19).

The depleted West Indies was dismissed for 60 in the first match on Sunday in losing by 143 runs. No. 1-ranked Pakistan can complete a series whitewash on Tuesday.

"Another disappointing performance," West Indies captain Jason Mohammed said.

"We tried to set aggressive fields but it's difficult at times. Hopefully, we will go home with a victory tomorrow."

Azam hit 13 fours and a six, and featured in a 119-run stand off 74 balls with Talat.

After Fakhar Zaman (6) was caught behind in Rayad Emrit's first over, Azam and Talat scored at will against erratic West Indies seamers Emrit, Keemo Williams, and debutant Odean Smith.

Talat hit eight fours and a six before giving Odean his first international wicket when captain Jason Mohammed took an overhead catch at point in the 14th over.

Azam got a reprieve on 78 when Samuel Badree dropped him at square leg off Williams and missed out on becoming only the second Pakistani to score a T20 century after Ahmed Shehzad.

Azam needed 11 to complete his century in the last over bowled by seamer Williams, but could score only eight despite getting six off the first two deliveries.

"The team (management) told me to play the full 20 overs and I paced my innings accordingly," Azam said.

In the West Indies reply, Walton was clean-bowled by Shadab in the ninth over at 50-2 off a fuller delivery, and the fight ended after the dismissal of the wasteful Samuels two overs later then Ramdin at 92-4.

Pakistan's three highest T20 scores have come at the National Stadium in this southern port city which is hosting international cricket after nine years. There was 203-5 against Bangladesh in 2008, matched on Sunday, and eclipsed on Monday.