WI v PAK, 4th T20I Review: Hasan, Shadab bowl Pakistan to a series win

The visiting Pakistan Team won the T20 series by 3-1 against the current World T20 Champions West Indies

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Pakistan’s Ahmed Shehzad celebrates after scoring his half century. (Photo by JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)

Pakistan won the 4-match series 3-1 as they defeated the West Indies convincingly in a 7-wicket win at Trinidad. Chasing 125, Pakistan knocked the runs off on the last ball of the 19th over with opener Ahmed Shehzad top-scoring with a 45-ball 53, which was his sixth international T20 fifty.

Put into bat first, West Indies never got going against a disciplined bowling performance led by fast bowler Hasan Ali. He bowled with pace and along with Imad Wasim, put the ball in the right areas which made the West Indies batsmen struggle. Last match hero Evin Lewis was the first man to depart as he pulled a relatively harmless short ball straight into the hands of Hasan Ali at square leg.

His opening partner Walton, though, batted with a lot of aggression as he hit as many as 4 sixes in his entertaining knock of 40. Walton greeted his nemesis and the new Pakistan sensation: Shadab Khan, with a six over long on. The rookie leg-spinner had the last laugh as he got Walton out for the third time in the series – caught at long-on – when the opener wanted to launch another six off Shadab. Samuels also was batting well and along with Walton helped the West Indies score cross 50 in the 7th over.Sarfaraz called Hasan back in the attack and he responded by

Sarfaraz called Hasan back in the attack and he responded by affecting 3 dismissals, which included a smart run-out of Lendl Simmons, in as many deliveries scattered across two overs. He cleaned up both Jason Mohammed and Samuels with fast incoming deliveries leaving the hosts in all sorts of trouble at 73-5 in 13 overs.

Pollard, who has struggled for runs in this tournament, had the job of resurrecting the innings in the company of skipper Brathwaite. After Hasan, it was now Shadab’s turn of rocking West Indies. The leggie followed the brilliant 13th over by an equally testing 14th over in which he beat the bat of Pollard thrice. The big-hitter had no clue about what was bowled at him and looked out of sorts as his feet didn’t move much.

He was eventually bowled by Rumman Raees in the next over when he caught Pollard rooted to the crease. Shadab Khan removed Jason Holder in the next over when the former skied a googly straight to long-off. West Indies were in tatters at 84/7. A few lusty blows from the skipper Brathwaite helped the team to finish with 124 runs on the board with the captain top scoring with an undefeated 37.

Sixes are always a feature of the West Indies innings and even in an innings where their batsmen largely struggled; they managed to muscle 8 sixes in the innings. There were 3 maiden overs bowled in the innings – 2 of them by Hasan and one by Raees – which was a first for Pakistan bowlers and the West Indies batters as well. Hasan Ali and Shadab Khan finished with 2/12 and 2/16 respectively.

Pakistan very clinical about their chase. They got off to a slow start but didn’t lose wickets up front, as is the case often with low-scoring games. Kamran Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad got them off to a steady start adding 40 runs before Akmal was dismissed by Samuels for 20. Shehzad then added 70 runs for the second wicket with Babar Azam who played well for his 38. Though Shehzad and Babar were dismissed within 7 balls of each other, Pakistan faced no further hiccups in chasing the target successfully.

Skipper Sarfaraz and veteran batsman Shoaib Malik remained unbeaten to see-off the chase. For West Indies, only Kesrick Williams had done something to write home about, returning with 2/16. It was a relatively easy chase and the West Indies looked lost for ideas as the Pakistan batsman came out with a professional game-plan.

Pakistan will be proud of the away series win. The find of the series was Shadab Khan, who picked up 10 wickets in 4 games and was awarded with the Man-of-The-Series trophy for his impressive showings. He bewildered the host batsmen with his variations especially the googly and looked like an experienced international bowler though, he is just 18-years old. Sarfaraz will be glad of his team’s effort throughout the series. He led his team well and rung in the right changes in the field according to the situation of the game.

West Indies never looked like the Champion side they usually are in this format. They will need to pull their socks up ahead of the 3-match ODI series. They lost a few players due to unforeseen circumstances, which shouldn’t be an excuse for a horrendous home series performance. The ODI series will commence from April 7 in Guyana.

Brief Scores 

West Indies 124/8 in 20 overs (Chadwick Walton 40, Hasan Ali 2/12, 2/16)

Pakistan 127/3 in 19 overs (Ahmed Shehzad 53, Babar Azam 38, Kesrick Williams 2/16)

Pakistan won by 7 wickets (with an over to spare)

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