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August 1, 2025

Saim Ayub & Mohammad Nawaz Star as Pakistan Take First T20I Against West Indies

Saim Ayub & Mohammad Nawaz Star as Pakistan Take First T20I Against West Indies
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Pakistan edged the opening T20I in their three-match West Indies tour at Central Broward Stadium, Florida, with a smart 14-run win, powered by an all-round display featuring Saim Ayub’s classy fifty and a destructive over from Mohammad Nawaz.

Match Summary

  • Pakistan posted 178/6, with UP-and-COMING left-hander Saim Ayub anchoring the chase with a fluent 57 off 38 balls, including five fours and two sixes.
     
  • Contributions from Fakhar Zaman (28 off 24) and Hassan Nawaz (24 off 18) kept the momentum flowing, until Faheem Ashraf and Mohammad Haris iced the tail for a competitive total.
     
  • In response, West Indies' openers Johnson Charles (35) and Jewel Andrew (35) stitched a 72-run stand but allowed Pakistan to build pressure.
     
  • Mohammad Nawaz turned the tables with his 3-wicket over in the 11th, dismissing Andrew, Charles, and Gudakesh Motie in quick succession.
     
  • Saim Ayub then chipped in with two further wickets—Shai Hope and Rutherford—as West Indies tumbled to 114/7 inside 17 overs. Despite fighting back at the end, they fell short at 164/7 in 20 overs.

Captain’s Reflection

Captaining from the middle, Salman Ali Agha lauded core aspects of the game plan:

“We assessed the conditions well, batted and finished strongly. We started well with the ball, dominated the middle overs, and the spinners were outstanding.”
He highlighted the 11th over as the turning point:
“Once the ball got older, it became difficult to bat against spin—and I was just waiting for that moment.”

Significance

  • With this 14-run win, Pakistan takes an early lead (1–0) in the T20I series and gain confidence with both bat and ball.
     
  • The result also exposes West Indies’ ongoing T20 struggles, marking just their second win from last 19 T20I matches.
     
  • Pakistan’s balance and execution underscore a template for success in upcoming matches as part of wider preparations in the USA leg.

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