T20I: Matthews’ 78 helps West Indies to 4-1 series win over Pakistan

Hayley Matthews ended her dream tour of Pakistan as she started it, with yet another commanding performance as West Indies coasted to an eight-wicket win in Karachi.

Smashing 78 from 59 balls, the West Indies captain made light work of Pakistan’s first innings total of 134, with the visitors getting there with 10 balls to spare. West Indies won the series 4-1.

West Indies demonstrated Thursday’s indifferent performance was an aberration, and were right on it from the moment they won the toss and put Pakistan in to bat.

Pakistan started brightly with a 38-run opening partnership in five overs, and after Qiana Joseph cleaned up Ayesha Zafar following a 16-ball 22, Sidra Ameen and Muneeba Ali went about rebuilding effectively. By the 12th over, the hosts sat pretty at 84 for 1, ostensibly set up for a big finish.

But, led by leg-spinner Afy Fletcher, West Indies engineered an almighty Pakistan collapse. Only Rameen Shamim, whose late unbeaten 11-ball 16 got Pakistan past 130, managed double figures after the top three.

Pakistan lost seven wickets for 37 runs as Fletcher, Joseph and Matthews all cashed in, strangling the innings until Shamim’s final-over flourish. Sidra top-scored for Pakistan with a 52-ball 48.

But West Indies had the momentum, and never truly ceded it. Matthews started cautiously once more, allowing Rashada Williams to inflict the early jabs. Sadia Iqbal got rid of her in the fifth over, but that brought out Shemaine Campbelle, who, together with Matthews put together a 103-run partnership, terminally ending any Pakistan hopes of another consolation win.

Towards the second half of that innings, Matthews seemed to be finding boundaries at will, 11 of them sprinkled throughout her innings as she surpassed 50 and helped her side hurtle towards what suddenly looked like an inadequate target. Campbelle, meanwhile eased along for an unbeaten 33 off 35, happy to play second fiddle at a master in full flow.

Pakistan did manage to get Matthews out one final time in the series, Nashra Sandhu knocking her stumps back. But by then, West Indies needed just seven to win, and Matthews’ work was done. (ESPNcricinfo)