Pakistan opened their T20I series with a hard-fought 14-run victory, built on Saim Ayub’s composed half-century and a game-changing spell from Mohammad Nawaz. Batting first, Pakistan posted 178/6 in their 20 overs, with Ayub anchoring the innings with a fluent 57 off 38 balls. His knock, marked by crisp stroke play and smart rotation, set the tone after an early wicket. Support came from Fakhar Zaman and late contributions from Hassan Nawaz and Mohammad Haris to push the score close to 180.
The West Indies began their chase brightly, with Jewel Andrew and Johnson Charles putting on a 72-run opening stand. At that point, the hosts looked well placed to overhaul the target. The turning point came in the 12th over when left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz ripped through the top order, taking three wickets in six balls. Andrew, Charles, and Gudakesh Motie all fell in that single over, reducing West Indies from 72 without loss to 75/3.
The collapse deepened almost immediately as Saim Ayub, thrown the ball in the next over, dismissed skipper Shai Hope and then Sherfane Rutherford. From a position of control, West Indies were suddenly staring at a mountain to climb, slipping to 110/6 as Shaheen Afridi and Sufiyan Muqeem tightened the screws.
A late charge from Jason Holder, who smashed an unbeaten 30 off just 12 deliveries, briefly threatened to revive the chase, but the damage had been done. Pakistan’s bowlers held their nerve to restrict West Indies to 164/7, sealing the win and taking a 1–0 lead in the series.
Ayub’s all-round impact—anchoring the innings and chipping in with crucial wickets—earned him Player of the Match honours. Nawaz’s 3/23 in the middle overs was equally pivotal, his triple strike breaking the backbone of the chase in a single over.
For Pakistan, the match showcased depth and adaptability, with both bat and ball delivering under pressure. For West Indies, it was a harsh lesson in how quickly T20 games can shift. A solid platform was undone in minutes, proving once again that momentum is everything in the shortest format.
The second T20I now offers West Indies a chance to regroup, while Pakistan will look to carry this early momentum into the rest of the series.