NORTH SOUND (Antigua): Captain Stafanie Taylor excelled with a superb all-round performance as West Indies women completed a 3-0 Twenty20 International whitewash of visiting Pakistan side by sealing a six-wicket victory in the third and final fixture at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound on Sunday.

After bowling out Pakistan for 102 in 19.4 overs, West Indies reached 106-4 in 19.1 overs with Taylor contributing 43 off 41 balls (four boundaries) while sharing an unbroken partnership of 48 with Kycia Knight (24 off 27).

Seamer Diana Baig led a spirited Pakistan comeback at the start of the West Indies innings by holding fine catch off spinner Anam Amin to dismiss Hayley Matthews and taking a brilliant catch off her bowling to get rid of Deandra Dottin before having Kyshona Knight caught behind by Sidra Nawaz on the very next ball as the hosts stuttered to 17-3.

Nida Dar then ended a 41-run stand between Taylor and Chedean Nation (20) by holding a return catch offered by Nation.

Earlier, player-of-the-match Taylor grabbed four wickets for 17 runs in 3.4 overs, which included a hat-trick when she terminated Pakistan’s innings with the scalps of Aliya Riaz, Diana and Anam.

Anisa Mohammed and Shamilia Connell, who was declared player-of-the-series, claimed 3-24 and 2-24, respectively.

Meanwhile Pakistan ‘A’ in contrast to their senior team, swept their T20 rubber against the West Indies ‘A’ by winning all three matches. In Sunday’s last game at the same venue, the tourists cantered to an eight-wicket victory after restricting West Indies ‘A’ to 99-6 with Reniece Boyce emerging as the top-scorer with 42.

Pakistan ‘A;, in reply, collected 100-2 in 18.4 overs on the back of Ayesha Zafar’s undefeated 53 with Kainat Imtiaz making 19 not out.

Scores in brief:

PAKISTAN WOMEN 102 in 19.4 overs (Aliya Riaz 29, Muneeba Ali 18, Nida Dar 17; Stafanie Taylor 4-17, Shamilia Connell 3-24, Anisa Mohammed 2-24); WEST INDIES WOMEN 106-4 in 19.1 overs (Stafanie Taylor 43 not out, Kycia Knight 24 not out, Chedean Nation 20; Diana Baig 2-17).

Published in Dawn, July 6th, 2021