By Anas Ahmed 
Jason Holder produced a T20I masterclass in Florida, guiding West Indies to a nerve-shredding two-wicket win over Pakistan in the second T20I, levelling the series 1-1 with a final-ball flourish.
Holder’s fingerprints were on every critical moment of this tense contest—from dismissing Pakistan’s top order, to holding his nerve with the bat and sealing the win with a boundary off the last ball, when three were needed.
Pakistan had earlier posted 133/9, recovering from early damage thanks to Hasan Nawaz’s 40 and Salman Agha’s 38. Their 60-run partnership stabilized the innings after Holder’s early double strike, but a tight finish meant the final five overs yielded just 23 runs. Holder returned to dismiss both Nawazs, ending with a stellar 4/19.
West Indies’ chase looked shaky against Pakistan’s trio of spinners. Mohammad Nawaz (3/14) dismantled the top order during the powerplay, while Saim Ayub and Sufiyan Muqeem piled on the pressure in the middle overs. At one point, West Indies crawled to just 37 runs in 8 overs post-powerplay.
Captain Shai Hope’s labored 21 off 30 made things worse, but Holder stayed calm. With Gudakesh Motie’s gritty 28 and late hits from Romario Shepherd, the hosts clawed back.
Then came the climax.
With three needed off the final ball, Shaheen Afridi fired one into the pads, only for Holder to slice it through fine leg for four, erupting into celebration as West Indies broke their losing streak in dramatic fashion.
Holder the Game-Changer
West Indies entered this match having won just 2 of their previous 19 T20Is. Holder flipped that narrative single-handedly. His pace variations, smart field placements, and cold-blooded finishing reasserted his value as one of cricket’s finest modern all-rounders.
Brief Scores:
Pakistan 133/9 (Hasan Nawaz 40, Holder 4/19)
West Indies 135/8 (Motie 28, Hope 21, Nawaz 3/14)
Result: West Indies won by 2 wickets
Player of the Match: Jason Holder
With the series now tied, the decider promises to be a blockbuster.
Victoria Hamilton 
Tim Douglas