WI vs PAK 2025, 3rd T20I Review: Openers, Sufiyan Muqeem star as Pakistan bag series 2-1

Pakistan won the third T20I by 13 runs against the West Indies to bag the series 2-1 at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground in Lauderhill, Florida, on Monday, August 4.

Salman Agha won the toss and opted to bat first at the picturesque venue on Monday. The Pakistan opening duo of Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub mixed caution with aggression and tried to build a solid foundation for the visitors. Farhan was the more aggressive batter in the partnership, while Ayub batted at a run-a-ball inside the powerplay. They added 47 runs in the first six overs.

Farhan brought up his half-century off just 34 balls in the 11th over. A couple of overs later, when he was batting on 51, Romario Shepherd dropped him off his own bowling. Ayub went on to get his half-century off 36 balls later in that over. Shamar Joseph finally drew first blood for the West Indies as he sent Farhan packing for a 53-ball 74. The first-wicket partnership added 138 runs in 16.2 overs.

In the following over, Roston Chase got the better of Hasan Nawaz, who played a fine cameo of 15 off seven balls. Two wickets fell in the 19th over as Mohammad Haris and Ayub had to make the long walk back to the pavilion. The latter scored 66 off 49 balls, holding the innings together.

Faheem Ashraf and Khushdil Shah hit one six each in the final over, which yielded 19 runs. The tourists finished on 189/4 in their 20 overs.

Pakistan hold nerves despite fifties from Athanaze, Rutherford

In reply, Jewel Andrew made his intentions clear from the start, taking 16 runs off the first over bowled by Hasan Ali. Alick Athanaze wasn’t going to fall behind as he slammed 17 runs off the second over. While the first two overs of powerplay yielded 33 runs, only 26 came off the next four. The Caribbean side also lost the wicket of Andrew in the fifth over, as he was dismissed right after being dropped on the previous delivery.

Shai Hope failed to get going and was dismissed for seven. Athanaze scored his maiden T20I half-century in the 11th over off 31 deliveries. While the West Indies had wickets in hand, Sufiyan Muqeem didn’t allow the batters to run away with the game. The left-arm wrist spinner bowled four economical overs through the middle and finished with figures of 1/20.

In the 13th over, Ayub accounted for the wicket of Athanaze, who made 60 off 40 balls, and this proved to be the turning point. Sherfane Rutherford played a fine hand, scoring a quickfire half-century and batting till the last over. However, he needed to get 25 runs against the experienced Hasan Ali, and that was no mean feat. In the end, the West Indies were restricted to 176/6.

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