Chasing 137 for victory after the West Indies made 136 for 6 from their 20 overs, Connell and Alleyne combined to restrict Pakistan to 126 for 6 despite an unbeaten 45 from Ayesha Naseem and 24 not out from Fatima Sana.

Together, the pair mounted an unbroken seventh-wicket partnership of 69 from 45 balls, rescuing Pakistan from a precarious 57-6.

Connell did the early damage bowling both openers, Javeria Rauf and Captain Javeria Khan for 5 and 7, respectively, with only 14 runs on the board. Hayley Matthews made it 23 for 3 when she dismissed Muneeba Ali for 9.

Connell took her third when she bowled Nida Dar for 9.

Alleyne then bowled Aliya Riaz for 8 and Iram Javid for 11 as Pakistan slipped further to 57-6 in the 13^th over.

However, that would be the last of the success for the West Indies Women who toiled in vain while trying to break the partnership between Naseem who hit two fours and a six in her 33-ball knock.

At the other end, Sana proved just as difficult to dislodge as she scored her runs from 21 deliveries.

Connell returned 3-21 while Alleyne took 2-23.

Earlier, the West Indies got their total courtesy of an opening stand of 65 between Matthews and Deandra Dottin, who scored 32 and 31, respectively.

Both openers were dismissed in the space of two balls as the West Indies Women slipped from 65-0 to 67-2. Captain Stafanie Taylor went for 11 with the score at 93 and the scoring slowed.

Kyshona Knight scored 23, Chedean Knight, 14, and Kycia Knight 15, helping the West Indies closed on 136 for 6.

Dar was tight taking 2-15 and Sana took 2-32.

Matthews showcased her all-round prowess by first starring with the ball, taking an impressive 3 wickets for just 25 runs to restrict Pakistan Women to 121-7 in their allotted 20 overs. Despite a resilient 55 from Muneeba Ali, the hosts struggled against the visitors’ bowling attack, with Matthews leading the charge. She received support from Chinelle Henry, Karishma Ramharack, and Afy Fletcher, each claiming a wicket to stifle Pakistan’s batting efforts. Matthews also contributed to a crucial run-out that ended Pakistan’s innings.

With a manageable target of 122 for victory, Matthews continued her dominance, opening the batting for West Indies Women. She began her innings aggressively, smashing 10 boundaries on her way to a match-high 58 runs off just 43 balls. Her attacking display laid a solid foundation for the run chase.

Supported by contributions from Shemaine Campbelle (21) and Chedean Nation (unbeaten 17), Matthews guided her team to victory in emphatic fashion, sealing the win with 10 balls to spare.

Matthews’ outstanding performance with both bat and ball underscores her invaluable role as a leader and key player for the West Indies Women’s team. Her contributions have been instrumental in securing consecutive victories against Pakistan Women, setting a strong foundation for the remainder of the series.

The West Indies Women will look to build on this momentum as they aim to maintain their winning streak and clinch the series against Pakistan Women in the upcoming matches.

Matthews played a pivotal role in setting up the win, first with the bat and then with the ball. She showcased her batting prowess by scoring an impressive unbeaten 140 runs, anchoring the West Indies' innings to a challenging total of 269-8 in their allotted 50 overs. Matthews' innings was decorated with 15 boundaries (fours) and a well-struck six.

After losing an early wicket, Matthews combined forces with Shemaine Campbell to forge a crucial partnership of 102 runs for the second wicket. Campbell contributed a valuable 45 runs to the cause before departing.

Chinelle Henry (23) and contributions from Chedean Nation and Aaliyah Henry, who scored 17 each, further solidified the West Indies' innings as Matthews led from the front, steering her team to a formidable total.

In response, Pakistan Women struggled to build partnerships against the disciplined West Indies bowling attack. Tuba Hassan top-scored with 25 runs, while Muneeba Ali and Nahida Alvi made contributions of 22 and 20 runs, respectively.

However, it was Matthews who turned the game decisively in her team's favor with the ball, claiming three crucial wickets for just 17 runs. Afy Fletcher and Zaida James also made significant contributions with the ball, picking up two wickets each to bundle out Pakistan Women for 156 runs in 35.5 overs.

Sadia Iqbal (2-38) and Tuba Hassan (2-48) were the standout bowlers for Pakistan, but they couldn't contain Matthews' brilliance.

With this commanding victory, West Indies Women have taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series against Pakistan Women, setting the stage for an exciting contest in the upcoming matches.

The loss left the Windies women third in the Group B table with two matches to go and just two to qualify for the semi-final of the biennial competition.

According to Henry, it was a desperate day for Windies from the very first ball, when opener Hayley Matthews was dismissed lbw by Diana Baig, and her side didn’t show up in the field.

“Everything went wrong from the first ball of the game,” said Henry.

“As a unit, we stuck together and got to a pretty decent total. As a bowling unit, we just didn’t execute as we would want to.

“Everyone was disappointed with our fielding performance. We can do much better - we just didn’t turn up. We have to work out why that happened.

“We have two games to go and we know as individuals they are must-win games. We’re going to go back to the drawing board.”  

Pakistan skipper Bismah Maroof, in the meantime, is leaning on the defeat her side handed the West Indies for the belief the unit can topple the giants of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.

Pakistan have never made it out of the preliminary stages of the tournament but began their Group B campaign with a comprehensive eight-wicket victory on the back of Bismah's unbeaten 38.

The skipper praised her bowlers and feels the result will infuse her side with hope they can progress for the first time.

“We needed this win to move ahead and it has given us some momentum and belief,” said the Pakistan captain.

“We’ve struggled at times in run chases but we kept our focus, kept calm and stayed in the middle. We knew if we got a partnership, we had to go on and our openers played very well.

“We want to play aggressive cricket and get the bad balls to the boundary and the openers showed good intent.”

“The belief is there, but we will take it game by game. We’ll have to play at 120 per cent to beat teams like England.

“The way this tournament has gone, it’s quite wide open and any team can beat the other. We’re looking forward to the next game and we’ll be putting in maximum effort.”

Pakistan were startlingly untroubled in their run-chase, with Javeria Khan judicious in the Powerplay and helping guide youngster Muneeba Ali to their country’s best Women’s T20 World Cup opening partnership.

Bismah, while slow to get started, swept adroitly and alongside Nida Dar, turned the screw on a poor West Indies performance with the ball and in the field.

The two teams played out a tight T20I series in February 2019 with West Indies’ 2-1 win clinched by a Super Over, but the difference between the sides was cavernous in the Australian capital.

The West Indies made an imposing 278-6 off their 50 overs after winning the toss and batting first at the Karachi National Stadium.

Captain Hayley Matthews continued her magnificent form shown throughout the series with 141 off 149 balls including 19 fours while Stafanie Taylor and Shemaine Campbelle both made meaningful contributions with 47 and 38, respectively.

Matthews’ knock means she ends the three-match series with an impressive 325 runs.

Nashra Sandhu took 3-54 to lead the bowling for the hosts while Fatima Sana took 2-67 in support.

An excellent all-round bowling effort then allowed the West Indians to restrict Pakistan to 190 with three overs and one ball remaining.

Muneeba Ali and Aliya Riaz tried their best for the hosts with 38 and 36, respectively.

The West Indian bowling was led by Hayley Matthews, Aliyah Alleyne and Stafanie Taylor who took two wickets each.

Matthews was named player of the series with 325 runs and six wickets.

The teams will now turn their attention to the five-match T20 series which begins on Friday.

Full scores: West Indies Women 278-6 off 50 overs (Hayley Matthews 141, Stafanie Taylor 47, Shemaine Campbelle 38, Nashra Sandhu 3-54, Fatima Sana 2-67)

Pakistan Women 190 off 47.5 overs (Muneeba Ali 38, Aliya Riaz 36, Aaliyah Alleyne 2-10, Hayley Matthews 2-26, Stafanie Taylor 2-29).

Defending 153, the West Indies Women bowled Pakistan Women out for 116 inside 40 overs to win by 37 runs and take an unassailable 2-0 lead in their three-match ODI series.

Omaima Sohail top scored with 27 and Javeria Khan scored 24 but Matthews took 4-29 from her nine overs and Connell 3-18 from 9.2 overs as Pakistan Women slipped from 67-3 in the 25^th over losing their last seven wickets for 49 runs.

The hosts lost their last four wickets for just five runs with Connell being the main destroyer late with a double-wicket maiden in the 38^th over before Matthews picked up her fourth wicket in the 39^th. Connell then returned to wrap up proceedings when she bowled Anam Amin for a duck with the second ball of the 40^th over.

Earlier, having been sent to bat by Pakistan, the West Indies were bowled out for 153 in 45.4 overs.

Deandra Dottin, who scored a career-best 132 in the first ODI, top-scored with 34. Stafanie Taylor (23), Matthews (26), and Shemaine Campbelle (23) all got starts but failed to carry on against the bowling of Amin 2-21, Fatima Sana 2-19 and Sohail 2-25.

The West Indies are using the series as a warm-up for the ICC World Cup qualifiers set to bowl off in Zimbabwe later this month.

Matthews faced 122 balls for an even hundred that included 11 fours as she guided the home side to yet another victory over the visiting Pakistan Women. She shared in an opening stand of 56 with Kyshona Knight, who contributed 18 before being trapped lbw by Anam Amin.

Britney Cooper joined Matthews at the crease and together the pair put together a stand of 106 in 24 overs during which Cooper hit three fours in her score of 45 that came off 68 balls.

She was eventually out caught in the deep by Ayesha Naseem off the bowling of Fatima Sana.

Chedean Nation ended unbeaten on 13 as she and Matthews completed the chase without further loss with 59 balls to spare.

Matthews said her century was the result of hard work.

"I've been working really hard over the past couple of months to improve on my batting and on my consistency and it's really good to see it finally paying off,” she said, revealing that she was a bit concerned when she realized that runs were running out and she was not yet at three figures.

“I don't think nervous necessarily but probably when I got into the nineties and realized it was about 10 runs to win the game and five runs for me to get my hundred and then the rain started setting up, I felt a bit anxious about actually getting the runs but I never doubted I was going to get my hundred."

Earlier, Umaima Sohail top-scored with 62 in Pakistan Women’s score of 182.

Chinelle Henry took two of the first three wickets as Pakistan slipped to 56-3 in over number 16, despite opener Muneeba Ali’s contribution of 25.

However, Nida Dar and Sohial put together a fourth-wicket stand of 87 before Dar was dismissed by Matthews for 24.

Wickets fell with regularity afterwards with Chinelle Henry, who finished with 3-37, Anisa Mohammed (3-25) and Matthews (2-30), combining to tear through the middle order.

Only Rameen Shamim’s 19 from 21 balls managed to get Pakistan to 182, a score that proved to be not nearly enough.

Excellent Pakistan bowling meant the tourists were restricted to just 84-9 off their 20 overs after winning the toss and batting first.

Shemaine Campbelle (26), Zaida James (19) and Jannilea Glasgow (10) were the only West Indian batters to get double-figures as Sadia Iqbal and Nida Dar dominated with 3-18 from four overs and 3-19 from four overs, respectively.

Pakistan then needed only 16.3 overs to reach 87-2 and secure their first win of the series. Ayesha Zafar led the way with 42* off 48 balls while Gull Feroza finished 21* off 24 balls.

Afy Fletcher and Shamilia Connell took a wicket, each, for the Windies.

Full Scores: West Indies Women 84-9 (Shemaine Campbelle 26, Sadia Iqbal 3-18, Nida Dar 3-19)

Pakistan Women 87-2 (Ayesha Zafar 42*, Gull Feroza 21*, Afy Fletcher 1-6, Shamilia Connell 1-8)

Four teams in Group B are now on two points with England leading the way, followed by Pakistan. The West Indies are third and with two teams coming out of each group are already in danger of not making it into the semifinals. South Africa are fourth.

Pakistan and South Africa have played just one game, while England, who suffered defeat to South Africa in their opener but recovered to demolish Thailand, are in the same position as the West Indies.

Sharp new ball bowling from Diana Baig exposed a struggling Windies top order and only when Stafanie Taylor and Shemaine Campbelle were at the crease did they look fluent in posting 124 for seven.

Pakistan openers Javeria Khan and Muneeba Ali controlled the chase expertly and put on 57, with captain Bismah Maroof’s unbeaten 38 steering her side to a seventh win at the Women’s T20 World Cup.

The Windies top order faltered and found themselves three wickets down within seven overs for the second game in succession.

Hayley Matthews, star of the 2016 Women’s T20 World Cup Final, fell for a diamond duck as Diana got the game’s first ball to move in the air and rap the opener on the pads.

Lee-Ann Kirby’s stand-and-deliver approach yielded three quick boundaries as she lofted Aiman Anwar for four over mid-off and then cover in the fourth over.

But she perished on the first ball of the fifth, Diana enticing another heave from the opener who skewed a catch to Muneeba Ali running back at point, departing for 16.

Deandra Dottin’s troubled stay at the crease ended when she tried to drag Nida Dar from outside off-stump over long-on and could only pick out Iram Javed, departing for one from 10 balls.

Experienced duo Taylor and Campbelle steadied the ship, the captain improving on the disappointing strike rotation last time out before Campbelle cleared the midwicket rope of Dar.

Campbelle - who brought up a century of T20I appearances against Thailand - missed an attempted reverse sweep off Anam Amin and while given not out on-field, Bismah’s referral adjudged her lbw for 43.

All-rounder Chinelle Henry couldn’t settle, dropped on her fourth ball as Anam grassed a return catch, but she departed when trapped lbw for four playing Aiman Anwar across the line.

Taylor put her foot down in the 18th over, carting Aiman’s low full toss over midwicket and just clearing the long-on boundary off Nida before picking out Diana on the cow corner fence for 43 from 47 balls.

Pakistan’s opening pair were cautious at the start of their reply, with thick edges wide of the slip cordon yielding three boundaries inside the first four overs as they reached 28.

Henry’s medium pace caused few problems as Javeria cut and then pulled her to the rope and Muneeba got in on the act with a firm drive as the over went for 14 runs.

Taylor turned to spin after the Powerplay but Javeria was well set, picking boundaries off Matthews and then twice from Afy Fletcher.

It took the Windies skipper herself to remove Javeria, who misjudged the length of a straight one and departed lbw for a well-made 35.

Muneeba, whose opening partnership of 58 with Javeria was Pakistan’s highest first-wicket stand at the tournament, failed to pick Fletcher’s googly on 25 and could only chip to Anisa Mohammed at midwicket.

Bismah took 24 balls to find her first boundary but continued to use her sweep well to spin and scored heavily behind square, Nida Dar offering composed support with mistakes from Taylor and Nation symptomatic of a disappointing Windies fielding display.

Pakistan were untroubled in the closing stages, Bismah hitting the winning boundary as her partnership of 50 with Nida paved the way for a memorable Pakistan win.

Scores in brief

Pakistan beat West Indies by eight wickets, Manuka Oval, Canberra

West Indies 124-7, 20 overs (Shemaine Campbelle 43, Stafanie Taylor 43; Diana Baig 2-19)
Pakistan 127-2, 18.2 overs (Bismah Maroof 38 not out, Javeria Khan 35; Stafanie Taylor 1-20)

In the first of five T20Is, West Indies won the toss and elected to bat first as they looked to continue their 100% record in Pakistan on this tour. But on a pitch that gripped under the lights, it was Pakistan who started stronger as Iqbal struck of the second ball to send the talismanic captain Hayley Matthews back for a duck. Diana Baig, the most economical of the Pakistan bowlers, trapped Campbelle behind soon after to leave West Indies wobbling at 14 for two. The partnership between Qiana Joseph and Stafanie Taylor that followed did steady the ship, but Pakistan never quite let them get going.

A pair of valuable cameos - both Chedean Nation and Chinelle Henry scored 13 off 9 balls - helped West Indies tip over the run-a-ball mark, but Pakistan would have felt they had a slight edge at the halfway mark.

That advantage was bolstered by a dynamic innings from opener Sidra Ameen, whose 17-ball 23 put Pakistan ahead of the asking rate by the end of the powerplay. But losing both her and Gull Feroza within four balls of each other without adding to the score brought West Indies roaring back into it, and when Karishma Ramharack cleaned up Ayesha Zafar after a stilted innings, the visitors had edged ahead. But Pakistan captain Dar's 24-ball 27 saw Pakistan seize the advantage again as the game balanced on a tightrope throughout the innings.

It all came to a head in a dramatic final over, with Connell bowling. When Najiha Alvi smacked the penultimate ball for an exquisite inside-out cover drive for four, Pakistan appeared, for one final time, to be sneaking home. But a dot ball would follow, and as Pakistan hearts were broken, West Indies' streak held firm.

West Indies 122 for 9 (Joseph 34, Taylor 30, Sana 3-24) beat Pakistan 121 for 8 (Dar 27, Ramharack 4-15) by one run

Player of the Match Taylor, who took 4-17, combined with Anisa Mohammed (3-24) and Shamila Connell (2-24) to bowl Pakistan Women out for 102.

Aliyah Riaz top scored with 29 and there were contributions from opener Muneeba Ali, who scored 18 and Nida Dar, who got 17, in what was Pakistan Women’s lowest score of the series.

Needing 103 for victory, the West Indies lost Hayley Matthews to the bowling of Anam Amin for 1.

Diana Biag then took the wickets of Deandra Dottin and Kyshona Knight in consecutive deliveries as the West Indies Women slipped to 17-3 after three overs.

Taylor and Chadean Nation stopped the rot with a stand of 41 that took the home side to 58 when Dar dismissed Nation for 20.

Taylor and Kycia Knight then put together an unbroken partnership of 48 that took the West Indies to victory with five balls remaining. Knight hit the first ball of the final over bowled by Dar to the boundary to seal the victory.

Biag finished with figures of 2-17 while Anam Amin took 1-18. Dar finished with 1-23.

The win meant that the West Indies Women swept the CG Insurance Series 3-0.

Shamila Connell was named Player of the Series

Chasing a challenging target of 223 set by Pakistan, the West Indies found themselves in a tense battle, eventually reaching 225-8 off the final ball of the match to secure an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.

Player of the Match Taylor was the linchpin of the West Indies' chase, anchoring the innings with crucial partnerships. Taylor's stand with Shemaine Campbell, who contributed a valuable 52 runs, proved pivotal as they shared an 88-run partnership for the third wicket. Captain Hayley Matthews also made a significant contribution with 44 runs before departing.

The West Indies Women looked poised for victory but encountered late drama, losing quick wickets that put the match on a knife's edge. Nida Dar's exceptional bowling effort (4-52) created tension in the dying moments, but the Caribbean side managed to hold their nerve.

In a thrilling finish, with the West Indies needing three runs off the final delivery, Karishma Ramharack smashed a boundary off Fatima Sana to seal the victory in dramatic fashion.

Earlier in the day, Pakistan Women won the toss and opted to bat first, posting a competitive total of 222 runs. Sidra Ameen's half-century (50) and Bismah Maroof's valuable 65 laid a solid foundation for Pakistan, with the pair stitching together an 80-run partnership for the second wicket.

However, the West Indies bowlers fought back strongly, led by Chinelle Henry (3-37) and Ramharack (3-48), who inflicted crucial blows to derail Pakistan's innings. Afy Fletcher also contributed with the ball, taking 2-46 to restrict Pakistan's scoring.

Despite the loss, Pakistan Women showed resilience and fought hard throughout the match, setting up an enthralling contest with the West Indies Women.

Taylor played the ultimate captain’s knock as she added a West Indies all-time record for the fifth wicket with Chadean Nation. The pair came together with the score at 98-4 and stayed together until Nation struck the winning run. They added an unbroken 128 in 23 overs. Nation found great confidence batting with his inspirational leader and made the highest score of her career – 51 not out off 67 balls with seven boundaries.

It was a day of records for Taylor. When she reached 42, she joined Mithali Raj of India and Charlotte Edwards of England as the only players in history with 5000 runs. She moved on to notch her seventh ton – and second of the year – another record for West Indies. It was the second century in the series for West Indies – following the career-best 132 by Deandra Dottin on the first match last Monday.

Earlier, Hayley Matthews played some stunning shots as she made 49 off 58 balls with eight fours, as she added 83 for the fourth wicket with Taylor. This pulled the West Indies out of deep trouble after they slipped to 15-3 in the fifth over – as the top three batters all fell in single figures.

Matthews was named Player-of-the-Series for her outstanding all round performances. She was the second-highest run-maker with 132 runs at an average of 44 and the leading wicket-taker with seven wickets at an average of 14 runs per wicket.

Chasing Pakistan’s Women’s 225-7, Taylor scored 102 not out after coming to the rescue of her team that has slumped to 15-3 within the first five overs.

Taylor shared in an 83-run fourth-wicket partnership with Hayley Matthews, who made 49, and then a match-winning unbroken partnership of 128 with Chedean Nation, who scored 51 not out, her maiden ODI half-century.

Taylor faced 117 balls for her score that included 12 fours while Nation struck seven boundaries facing 67 balls during the match-winning stand.

Anam Amin, who did the early damage by dismissing the in-form Diandra Dottin for 4 and Shemaine Campbelle for one, finished with 2-45 from her 10 overs. Diana Baig, who dismissed Rashada Williams for 6, returned figures of 1-36 from her eight overs.

Sadia Iqbal, who snagged Matthews’ wicket, finished with 1-36 from seven overs.

Earlier, sent in to bat, Pakistan Women owed their best score of the series to opener Muneeba Ali, who scored a patient 58. She and Ayesha Zafar staged an opening stand of 49 before the latter was out caught and bowled by Aaliyah Alleyne (2-41) for 13.

Ali and Javeria Khan put on 74 over the next 20 overs as the West Indies bowlers tightened their grip on the innings. Ali eventually fell to Taylor in the 31^st over with the score on 123. Six runs later, the pressure began to take a toll as Taylor ran Khan out for 13.

Two balls later, Alleyne picked up her second wicket when she bowled Omaima Sohail for 27.

Iram Javed and Aliya Riaz held up the progress of the West Indies bowlers with a 44-run fifth-wicket stand that was eventually broken when Javed was dismissed by Shakera Selman for 26.

Riaz would eventually get Pakistan Women past 200 with her unbeaten 44 that helped set up a decent total for the West Indies Women to chase.

Selman took the wicket of Fatima Sana for nine to end with figures of 2-40.

Baig was run out for nine off the last ball of the innings.

Taylor, the Player of the Match scored 105 from 116 balls and hit 11 fours and two sixes as the West Indies Women cruised to 209-5 from 47.5 overs, chasing Pakistan Women’s 205-9. It was Taylor’s sixth ODI century and she celebrated by signalling towards her teammates in the dressing room and raising her hands towards the heavens.

Taylor added a significant partnership sixth-wicket partnership of 42 with Britney Cooper to see the team home. After coming together at 167-5 in the 43rd over, they put on the unbroken stand during which Cooper played some breathtaking strokes over the off-side as she ended on 17 not out off 21 balls with three fours.

Earlier, Taylor was also excellent with the ball as she took 3-29 from her 10 overs to help restrict the Pakistan batters. Nida Dar top scored with 55 and there were worthwhile contributions from openers Muneeba Ali and Ayesha Zafar, who scored 36 and 46, respectively, and featured in an opening stand of 70 before the former was run out.

Anisa Mohammed took 2-31 and there was a wicket each for Shamilla Connell and Shakera Selmon

The tourists first posted 132-5 from their 20 overs after being put in to bat.

Matthews led the way with a 49-ball 68 including 10 fours while Shemaine Campbelle provided good support with 31 against 2-22 from Fatima Sana.

Pakistan were then restricted to 130-8 from their 20 overs in reply.

Sidra Ameen led the way with 63 off 58 balls including seven fours.

Afy Fletcher took 2-20 from her four overs while Matthews completed a fine al-round performance with 2-22 from her four overs.

Pakistan at one point were cruising at 119-3 in the 18^th over before a pair of Matthews wickets led to a collapse saw the hosts losing their next five wickets for just six runs.

In the end, Shamilia Connell successfully defended 12 runs in the final over.

The West Indies now hold an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series with the final two games set for Thursday and Friday.

Full Scores: West Indies Women 132-5 (Hayley Matthews 68, Shemaine Campbelle 31, Fatima Sana 2-22)

Pakistan Women 130-8(Sidra Ameen 63, Afy Fletcher 2-20, Hayley Matthews 2-22)

Pakistan, after being put in to bat by the West Indies, had an excellent start to their innings with Ayesha Zafar and Sidra Ameen putting on 38 for the first wicket before Zafar fell in the fifth over for 22.

Ameen and Muneeba Ali then put on a further 46 before the latter fell for 25 in the 13^th over.

That same over saw Pakistan reduced to 86-3 when Nida Dar fell for two.

What proceeded that can only be described as a collapse as the hosts then lost their next five wickets for just 35 runs in five overs.

They eventually ended their 20 overs 134-8. Ameen was the final person out for a top score of 48 as Afy Fletcher was excellent with the ball for the Windies with 3-17 from her four overs.

Qiana Joseph also bowled well with 2-26 from four overs.

The successful chase was then anchored by superstar batter Hayley Matthews.

The skipper faced 59 balls and hit 11 fours on her way to a top score of 78 as the West Indies needed just 18.2 overs to reach 136-2.

Shemaine Campbelle provided good support with 33.

Matthews was named player of the series thanks to her 205 runs and seven wickets.

Full scores: Pakistan 134-8 off 20 overs (Sidra Ameen 48, Muneeba Ali 25, Ayesha Zafar 22, Afy Fletcher 3-17, Qiana Joseph 2-26)

West Indies 136-2 off 18.2 overs (Hayley Matthews 78, Shemaine Campbelle 33)

In the match reduced to 20 overs per side because of persistent rain and a wet outfield, the West Indies were restricted to 89-7. Deandra Dottin, who scored 27, Stafanie Taylor, 18, and Afy Fletcher, 12, were the only batters in double figures as Nida Dar tore through the line-up with 4-10 from her four overs.

Pakistan duly achieved their target without much fuss as opener Muneeba Ali scored 37. Captain Bismah Maroof was unbeaten on 20 and Omaima Sohail 22 not out to lead their team to victory with seven balls to spare.

Shakera Selman with 1-15 from 3.5 overs and Fletcher 1-23 were the wicket-takers for the West Indies Women, who will now face a must-win match against unbeaten South Africa if they are to have any chance to advance.

Kate Wilmott was rewarded with a call-up to the senior team for the first time, having displayed commendable performances with her right-arm medium pace during the recently concluded CG United Women’s Super50 Cup and T20 Blaze tournaments.

Qiana Joseph and Chedean Nation, who also had credible performances were recalled to the team, having missed out on the last tour to Australia in 2023. 

Lead Selector for Women’s cricket Ann Browne-John said “The upcoming series against is extremely important for the team as they return to international competition after almost six months, the last series being against Australia. Apart from the three ODI, the team will get some much-needed T20 matches as they prepare to participate in the T20 World Cup later this year.”

Browne-John added, “The return of experienced player Chedean Nation will strengthen the batting and 19-year-old Fast Bowler Kate Wilmott will be making her debut. The players have just completed the regional tournament where some of the experienced players had encouraging performances, and it is hoped this will continue into the Pakistan series.”

Following the ODI Series, a gripping five-match T20I series will unfold from 26 April to 3 May. This T20I series will not only offer thrilling cricket action for fans but will provide important competitive cricket for both teams to fine-tune their skills and strategies ahead of the upcoming ICC Women's T20 World Cup, which is due to take place after the Women’s CPL in Bangladesh in September.   

The West Indies Women will assemble in Dubai from 6 April for a one-week training camp as part of their preparations for the upcoming Pakistan tour.  

Full Squad

• 1. Hayley Matthews (captain)
• 2. Shemaine Campbelle (vice-captain)
• 3. Aaliyah Alleyne
• 4. Shamilia Connell
• 5. Afy Fletcher
• 6. Cherry Ann Fraser
• 7. Jannillea Glasgow
• 8. Chinelle Henry
• 9. Zaida James
• 10. Qiana Joseph
• 11. Chedean Nation
• 12. Karishma Ramharack
• 13. Stafanie Taylor
• 14. Rashada Williams
• 15. Kate Wilmott

West Indies Women Tour to Pakistan Schedule

All matches to be played at National Bank Stadium (NBS), Karachi

6-14 April – Pre-Tour Preparation Training Camp, Dubai

14 April - West Indies Women arrive in Karachi

18 April - 1^st ODI, Pakistan v West Indies, NBS, Karachi (ICC Women’s Championship)

21 April - 2^nd ODI, Pakistan v West Indies, NBS, Karachi (ICC Women’s Championship)

23 April - 3^rd ODI, Pakistan v West Indies, NBS, Karachi (ICC Women’s Championship)

26 April - 1^st T20I, Pakistan v West Indies, NBS, Karachi

28 April - 2^nd T20I, Pakistan v West Indies, NBS, Karachi

30 April - 3^rd T20I, Pakistan v West Indies, NBS, Karachi

2 May - 4^th T20I, Pakistan v West Indies, NBS, Karachi

3 May - 5^th T20I, Pakistan v West Indies, NBS, Karachi