Late fireworks unable to prevent series loss for the Windies

Late fireworks from Romario Shepherd rattled Pakistan briefly but the hosts held their nerve to carve out a nine-run victory in the second Twenty20 International and condemn West Indies to a series defeat there Tuesday.

In pursuit of 173 at the National Stadium, West Indies were carried early on by a maiden half-century of 67 off 43 balls from opener Brandon King, but they lost six wickets for 46 runs to find themselves tottering on 131 for eight at the end of the 17th over.

On five then after entering at the fall of King’s wicket in the previous over, Shepherd injected hope into the run chase with a cavalier unbeaten 35 from only 19 balls, with two fours and two sixes.

With 23 runs needed from the final over, Shepherd skied the first ball to backward point and dashed a couple as Shadab Khan grassed a difficult chance, before clearing mid-wicket with the second delivery for a towering six.

Kept scoreless off the third ball, Shepherd sliced a boundary to backward square off the fourth delivery, to further reduce the target to 11 runs from the last two balls of the contest.

And the game appeared headed to the final delivery when Shepherd’s bullet-like drive to deep extra cover seemed destined for the boundary only for Asif Ali to parry the ball with his thigh inches inside the ropes, and limit the damage to a single.

“Tough [loss] for us [but] big improvement from yesterday’s game,” captain Nicholas Pooran said after his side were dismissed for 163.

“Felt like we lost this one here with some silly mistakes. It was very irresponsible of myself as well [when I got out]. It felt like we had this one here but in all, I’m very proud of the way the guys played.”

Coming off Monday’s 63-run win, Pakistan needed Iftikhar Ahmed’s 19-ball 32 and Shadab’s 12-ball 28 not out to get up to 172 for eight off their 20 overs after choosing to bat first.

The innings was stumbling on 124 for six at the start of the 17th over but Iftikhar belted a four and two sixes and Shadab, a four and three sixes, helping Pakistan to plunder 45 runs from the last three overs.

Opener Mohammad Rizwan, with a half-century in Monday’s opener, top-scored with 38 off 30 balls including four fours and a six, while adding 48 for the third wicket with Haider Ali (31), to revive the innings after captain Babar Azam (7) and Fakhar Zaman (10) perished cheaply.

Fast bowling all-rounder Odean Smith, who accounted for both Rizwan and Haider, finished with two for 24.

West Indies were set back early when Shai Hope holed out to wide long on for one in the third over and Shamarh Brooks missed a sweep at left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz and was lbw for ten in the fourth over at 31 for two.

Recalled for this series following 13 months on the sidelines, King struck half-dozen fours and three sixes as he put on a crucial 54 for the third wicket with the left-handed Pooran who made a run-a-ball 26, the pair patching up the innings.

He reached his fifty off 34 balls in the 13th over with a four to backward point off Nawaz but was part of the cluster of wickets when he lofted Haris Rauf (2-40) to long on in the 16th over at 118 for five.

Superstar left-arm seamer Shaheen Shah Afridi (3-26) then put the game firmly in Pakistan’s favour when he snatched three wickets in the next over – Smith taken at deep square for 12, Dominic Drakes caught at the wicket for a first-ball ‘duck’ nicking a full length ball and Hayden Walsh castled first ball also without scoring.

The final game of the series is carded for Thursday.