Farhan, Ayub Lead Pakistan to Series Win Over West Indies in Lauderhill

Pakistan clinched a 2-1 T20I series victory over the West Indies with a 13-run win in the final match at Lauderhill, continuing their dominance over the Caribbean side with a seventh consecutive T20I series win against them.

The foundation of Pakistan’s triumph was a brilliant 138-run opening stand between Sahibzada Farhan (74) and Saim Ayub (66), setting up a formidable total of 189 for 4. Despite a spirited start from the West Indies, who reached 33 in the first two overs, Pakistan’s bowlers held their nerve in the death overs, restricting the hosts to 176 for 6.

Dominant Start with the Bat

Opting to bat first, Pakistan reversed their trend of early collapses, as Farhan and Ayub navigated the powerplay cautiously. While the scoring rate remained modest through the middle overs, both batters reached their fifties and ensured Pakistan remained wicketless until the 17th over.

However, with just four overs remaining, Pakistan’s run rate was only 8.5 an over, prompting a much-needed acceleration. The breakthrough came when Farhan was dismissed by Shamar Joseph, allowing Hasan Nawaz to inject late momentum. Despite not hitting a single four in the death overs, Pakistan smashed five sixes, including 20 runs in the final over, pushing their total well above par.

West Indies Fall Short Despite Bright Start

In reply, the West Indies looked dangerous early on. Alick Athanaze (60) and Sherfane Rutherford (51) led the charge, with the scoreboard ahead of Pakistan’s comparative position after 16 overs. Needing 49 from the final four, the hosts seemed poised to pull off a repeat of their second-match heroics.

But Haris Rauf delivered a tight 17th over, and Sufiyan Muqeem followed with a game-turning spell. His flipper knocked over Jason Holder for a two-ball duck, just moments after Roston Chase was retired out, a tactical decision made to accelerate scoring. The gamble backfired, as Holder’s quick dismissal drained the chase of momentum.

Series Takeaways

Pakistan’s victory marked a significant rebound following their series defeat in Bangladesh. The team showed composure under pressure, combining a solid opening partnership with effective bowling in key moments.

While questions remain about the tempo of large opening partnerships — a topic that has followed Pakistan through the Rizwan-Babar era — the late onslaught by middle-order hitters validated the team’s depth and adaptability.

With a final score of 189 for 4, and a tight bowling display in the final overs, Pakistan ensured the West Indies ran out of time and ideas, closing out a hard-fought series with a confidence-boosting win.

Match Summary:

Pakistan: 189/4 (Farhan 74, Ayub 66, Chase 1-31)
West Indies: 176/6 (Athanaze 60, Rutherford 51, Muqeem 1-20)
Result: Pakistan won by 13 runs
Player of the Match: Sahibzada Farhan
Series Result: Pakistan won the 3-match series 2-1