Nawaz’s Game-Changing Over Seals Thrilling Win for Pakistan
So, in a gripping series opener between Pakistan and the West Indies in Lauderhill, Florida, it was Mohammad Nawaz who completely turned the game on its head and helped Pakistan claim a narrow 14-run victory in this T20 international.
Pakistan batted first after being put in, and it was Saim Ayub who really stood out at the top of the order. He smashed 57 runs off just 38 balls, playing some smart cricket on a pitch that wasn’t the easiest to bat on. Along with Fakhar Zaman, who contributed 28, Ayub put up a solid 81-run partnership for the second wicket. That gave Pakistan a promising foundation, and at one point it looked like they might push the total close to 200. But the West Indies bowlers pulled it back. Jason Holder and Shamar Joseph, who was making his return to the squad, bowled tightly—Joseph especially was impressive, finishing with figures of 3 for 30. Pakistan eventually ended on 178 for 6.
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Now, that score looked competitive but not necessarily a safe one, especially on a ground where scores over 180 are often chased down. And for a while, it seemed the West Indies were on track. Their openers, Johnson Charles and 18-year-old debutant Jewel Andrew, built a solid opening partnership of 72 runs, scoring just over a run a ball. Andrew looked composed in his debut innings and made 35, matching Charles’ contribution.
But then came the 12th over—and this is where Nawaz made his mark. He had gone for 20 runs in his first three overs, but suddenly he struck gold. First, he got Andrew out to break the partnership, and then within that same over, he dismissed Charles and Motie. Just like that, West Indies crumbled from 72-0 to 75-3. And things got worse. In the very next over, Ayub took a wicket himself, getting West Indies captain Shai Hope for just 2.
That middle-order collapse—four wickets falling for just five runs—completely derailed the chase. Some late hitting from Jason Holder, who smashed 30 off just 12 balls, including four sixes, and Shamar Joseph, who added a quickfire 21, gave the West Indies some hope and added respectability to the total. But it wasn’t enough. They ended on 164 for 7, falling short by 14 runs.
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha summed it up perfectly, saying the team started strong and finished even better. And rightly so—because this win gives them a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, with two more T20s to go over the weekend. For West Indies, it’s back to the drawing board after a tough loss, especially following their heavy defeats to Australia recently.
All in all, a classic T20 thriller, with Nawaz’s match-winning over surely to be remembered for a long time.
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