The West Indies put on a dominant performance in the concluding ODI against Pakistan in Trinidad, achieving a comprehensive 202-run victory and securing the series with a 2-1 score. This victory is historic, as it signifies their first home series win against Pakistan in 36 years.
Facing a target of 295, Pakistan’s batting lineup completely collapsed. The team was all out at 92 runs in just 29.2 overs. The batsmen were unable to build partnerships, leading to a consistent fall of wickets.
A surprising aspect of the match was that five Pakistani players – Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Mohammad Rizwan, and Abrar Ahmed – were dismissed without scoring. Salman Ali Agha’s 30-run innings provided a brief respite, but he received little support from his teammates.
Babar Azam’s poor run with the bat continued as he only managed to score 9 runs before getting out. He now holds an unwelcome record of 72 international innings without scoring a century, which has sparked significant concern about his form across all formats.
Jayden Seales was a key player for the West Indies, disrupting Pakistan’s batting order by taking six crucial wickets while conceding just 18 runs. Seales’ bowling figures were 7.2 overs with an excellent economy of 2.45.
Earlier, West Indies skipper Shai Hope led the team from the front, scoring 120 runs off 125 balls, including 10 fours and 5 sixes. His innings was critical in stabilizing the innings and helping his team reach a total of 294/6 in 50 overs. The win is a milestone for West Indies cricket; it represents their first home ODI series win against Pakistan since 1988 and their first bilateral ODI series win against Pakistan since 1991.