KARACHI: West Indies women stunned Pakistan as they edged the hosts by one in a last-ball thriller here at the National Bank Stadium on Friday.

Pakistan, chasing a seemingly easy target of 123 runs, were cruising towards it until a trigger was collapsed and the West Indies ensured they made the most of it.

The Nida Dar-led side had got off to a decent start in terms of runs but lost openers Gul Feroza and Sidra Ameen and Ayesha Zafar by the halfway stage.

The incoming Nida arrived right in the midst of the crisis and started Pakistan’s rescue mission. She first combined with Muneeba Ali for 22 runs off 20 balls before accumulating 28 off 26 with fellow veteran Aliya Riaz.

However, when Karishma Ramharack got Aliya to leave Pakistan at 104-5 at the start of the 18th over, things got out of control for the home side. The bowler took two more wickets in the same over, first that of Fatima Sana and then Nida herself, leaving Pakistan in tatters.

Yougsters Najiha Alvi and Tuba Hassan still took Pakistan far enough that they needed two runs off the last ball, which Najiha missed and still tried to complete a desperate single in an attempt to tie the match and take it to the super over, but West Indies wicket-keeper Shemaine Campbell hit the stumps to run Tuba out.

Ramharack finished with four wickets for 15 runs, while Qiana Joseph, Hayley Matthews and Afy Fletcher took a wicket each.

Earlier, West Indies struggled with the bat after winning the toss as they lost their in-form captain Matthews on the second ball of their innings.

Their highest scorer was Joseph, who added 34 off 36 to the total, while Stafanie Taylor scored 30 off 32.

The two had combined for a run-a-ball 55-run partnership after the dismissal of openers Matthews and her partner Campbell. But after that, none of the West Indies batter could drag the visitors out of trouble.

Pacer Fatima took three wickets for 24 in her four overs, while spinner Sadia Iqbal, who had made the first breakthorugh, bagged two scalps.

Diana Baig, Nida and Tuba took a wicket each.

Scores in brief: WEST INDIES 122-9 in 20 overs (Qiana Joseph 34, Stafanie Taylor 30; Fatima Sana 3-24); PAKISTAN 121-8 in 20 overs (Nida Dar 27, Sidra Ameen 23; Karishma Ramharack 4-15).

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2024