The West Indies secured a dramatic two-wicket victory over Pakistan in Florida, leveling the three-match Twenty20 series. In a nail-biting finish, veteran allrounder Jason Holder played a crucial role, taking four wickets and hitting a boundary off the final ball to clinch the win for his team on October 7, 2023.
Pakistan, having won the toss and opted to bat first, struggled to post a challenging total, finishing their innings at 133 runs for the loss of nine wickets. Holder’s exceptional bowling performance, which yielded figures of 4-19 from four overs, significantly contributed to Pakistan’s batting woes.
The match began with Pakistan in a precarious position at 4-53 in the 10th over. However, Hasan Nawaz scored a vital 40 runs off just 23 balls, while captain Salman Agha added 38 runs from 33 deliveries. Their efforts helped stabilize the innings, but at the halfway mark, the target of 134 runs appeared vulnerable.
In response, West Indies faced early challenges as Pakistan’s bowlers, particularly Mohammad Nawaz, who had three wickets in the previous match, continued to dominate. Nawaz returned impressive figures of 3-14 in this match, leaving West Indies reeling at 5-70 after 14 overs.
Despite the pressure, Gudakesh Motie and Romario Shepherd provided crucial contributions. Motie scored 28 runs off 20 balls, while Shepherd chipped in with 15 runs off 11 balls, including a vital ten runs from the penultimate over bowled by Hasan Ali.
As the match reached its climax, West Indies required eight runs from the final over, with three runs needed from the last delivery. Holder, showing poise under pressure, found the gap at backward square and secured a boundary, thus ending West Indies’ six-match losing streak in T20 internationals.
Captain Shai Hope expressed relief and optimism following the win, stating, “It has been a tough couple of weeks for us. We always try to get better, and the guys have put in a lot of hard work. Hopefully, today is the turnaround we are looking for.”
Holder, named player of the match, acknowledged the team’s struggles, saying, “We’ve had a fair bit of criticism which is warranted. We haven’t done justice to our potential. We can be a lot better; consistency has definitely plagued us.”
This victory marks a significant morale boost for the West Indies, who had previously suffered a 5-0 series defeat to Australia and a 3-0 sweep in Test matches last month. The final match of the series will provide both teams with an opportunity to showcase their capabilities and secure bragging rights.
