By Anas Ahmed 
Pakistan kicked off their T20I series against West Indies with a professional 14-run victory in Lauderhill, where the turning point came not in the final scoreline but in the middle overs—when Pakistan’s spinners choked the life out of the chase.
Batting first on a sluggish surface, Pakistan posted a competitive 178/6, built on Saim Ayub’s fluent 57 off 36. His innings came to life after a steady start, unleashing two sixes in a momentum-shifting over off Jediah Blades. The southpaw, who was cautious early, exploded late and became the only batter to truly dominate the West Indies attack.
Despite controlled bowling from Shamar Joseph (3/30) and disciplined seamers, Pakistan kept the scoreboard ticking. Contributions from Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Nawaz, and a one-ball-six from Mohammad Haris gave the innings a final surge, yielding 58 runs from the last 31 balls.
The West Indies chase began brightly. Openers Johnson Charles and debutant Jewel Andrew stitched together a 72-run stand. But the introduction of spin began unravelling that effort. Mohammad Nawaz, calm and precise, triggered the collapse with three wickets in a single over, including both openers and Motie, halting West Indies’ momentum.
From 72/0 to 109/5, the hosts lost their way, stifled by Nawaz, Sufiyan Muqeem’s tight lines, and a small but effective bowling cameo from Ayub. Only a late onslaught from Jason Holder (30 off 12)* kept the margin respectable, with four sixes in the last two overs, but the damage was long done.
Professional Execution, Strategic Spin
Pakistan didn’t rely on explosive batting or blistering pace. Instead, it was a game of strategic control, especially through spin, which they applied perfectly as West Indies once again faltered under scoreboard pressure.
With this win, Pakistan handed West Indies their 13th loss in 19 T20Is, continuing their downward spiral in the format.
Brief Scores:
Pakistan 178/6 (Ayub 57, Shamar 3/30)
West Indies 164/7 (Andrew 35, Charles 35, Nawaz 3/23)
Result: Pakistan won by 14 runs
Player of the Match: Saim Ayub
Victoria Hamilton 
Tim Douglas