Captain Hayley Matthews delivered a stellar all-around performance to guide West Indies Women to a commanding seven-wicket victory over Pakistan Women in the second Twenty20 International (T20I) held in Karachi, Pakistan.
Matthews showcased her prowess with both bat and ball, claiming three wickets with her off-spin and smashing her 11th T20I half-century to help her team take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
Opting to field first after winning the toss, West Indies Women’s decision paid off as Matthews led the bowling attack with precision. She claimed three crucial wickets, conceding just 25 runs in her four overs, to restrict Pakistan Women to 121 for seven in their allotted 20 overs. Left-hander Muneeba Ali was the top scorer for the hosts with a fluent 55 off 47 balls, but no other batter managed to make a significant contribution.
A quickfire 58 off 43 deliveries
In response, Matthews continued her impressive performance with the bat, scoring a quickfire 58 off 43 deliveries, including 10 boundaries. Her aggressive innings laid the foundation for West Indies Women’s comfortable chase, as they reached the target with 10 balls to spare. Matthews received support from her vice-captain, Shemaine Campbelle, who contributed 21 runs to a crucial 67-run partnership for the second wicket.
Despite losing a couple of quick wickets in the middle overs, West Indies Women remained composed, with Chedean Nation (17 not out) and Chinelle Henry (eight not out) guiding them over the finish line with an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 29 runs.
The victory sees West Indies Women continue their dominant run against Pakistan Women, following their clean sweep in the One-Day International series and their triumph in the opening T20I. With Matthews leading from the front, the Caribbean side looks poised for further success as they aim to clinch the series with three matches still to play.
