Women’s T20 World Cup: West Indies defeated Pakistan by 3 runs

• West Indies won a nail-biting three-run victory over Pakistan.
• Captain Hayley Matthews took crucial wickets early and late in innings.
• Rashada and Campbelle added 40 runs at a run-per-ball.

With a nail-biting three-run victory over Pakistan that came down to the penultimate ball, former champions West Indies kept their tenuous semifinal hopes alive.

West Indies, who won the championship in India in 2016, chose to bat at Boland Park and produced a below-par score of 116/6 in an effort to build on their victory over Ireland.

In order to lead her team to a thrilling victory, captain Hayley Matthews took crucial Pakistan wickets early and late in the innings. By navigating the powerplay cautiously, Matthews and Rashada Williams smashed 15 off the bowling of Aiman Anwer in the fourth over.

When Matthews attempted to lift Fatima Sana over the midwicket boundary but only connected with Sidra Ameen’s hands, she lost her life late in the powerplay. Shemaine Campbelle joined Williams, and the two added 40 runs at a run-per-ball. Despite the raucous celebrations that followed Williams’ huge wicket, no other players were taken out.

As Williams gave the exceptional Sadia Iqbal a straightforward return catch to dismiss her for 30 runs, the second-wicket stand came to a quick conclusion. Despite hitting two boundaries with force, Chinelle Henry was caught in front by Nida Dar for 11, and Campbelle was out in the following over after being cleverly stumped by Muneeba Ali.

On the penultimate over, Nida Dar struck out Aaliyah Alleyne for her 125th T20I wicket, moving her into joint-first place in the league.

The dangerous Muneeba Ali was dismissed for five runs by Windies game-changer Matthews in the fourth over as Pakistan cautiously started their pursuit of a 117-run mark.

Two balls later, with Pakistan down to two, Matthews was at the centre of the action once more as she took a brilliant catch at midwicket to dismiss Sidra Ameen.

When Nida beat Henry to the midwicket fence in the 13th over, the seasoned duo of Bismah and Nida began a methodical partnership that barely left first gear.

Brief scores: West Indies 116/6 in 20 overs (Rashada Williams 30, Shemaine Campbelle 22; Nida Dar 2-13, Fatima Sana 1-10) beat Pakistan 113/5 in 20 overs (Aliya Riaz 29, Nida Dar 27; Hayley Matthews 2-14, Karishma Ramharack 1-18) by three runs.

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