KARACHI: A horrific batting collapse saw Pakistan women go down to a shocking loss against the West Indies in the third Twenty20 International here at the National Bank Stadium on Tuesday to hand the visitors an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.

Chasing 133, Pakistan were cruising towards victory before they fell like dominoes to end up getting defeated by two runs.

Flying at 87-2 in the 14th over, with opener Sidra Ameen having hit a half-century, Pakistan lost five wickets in the space of 13 balls and just six runs.

Veteran batter Sidra hit 63 off 58 with the help of seven fours and put up a 64-run partnership off 54 balls with her opening partner Ayesha Zafar, who was undone by Afy Fletcher after scoring 19 off 22 balls.

The collaboration between Sidra and Ayesha helped Pakistan race to 50 by the seventh over and they were 69-1 at the halfway stage with the latter having departed on the last ball of the ninth over.

The incoming Muneeba Ali, who had scored a fifty in the previous fixture, was on her way back to the hut three overs later with 12 against her name, her dismissal giving Pakistan a bit of a scare.

Pakistan captain Nida Dar, who replaced her at the crease, accelerated the scoring rate, hitting three boundaries in the space of nine balls to take the side close to the target, but became Aaliyah Alleyne’s victim at a crucial point in the 17th over, accounting for 17 off 11.

Sidra followed Nida to the pavilion after being cleaned up by West Indies skipper Hayley Matthews, leaving Pakistan all over the place. Matthews got Fatima Sana on the very next ball before Aliya Riaz gave her wicket to Fletcher and Natalia Pervaiz was run out on the next ball.

Shamailia Connell got Najiha Alvi to effectively wrap up the proceedings.

Nida’s match-finishing cameo was worth runs that the right-hander hit in balls, and it was studded with fours and sixes.

West Indies once again relied heavily on Matthews contribution to post a decent target, and she did not disappoint.

The right-hander hit 68 off 49 — her second half-century on the trot — with the help of 10 boundaries. Her knock received able support from Shemaine Campbelle after Pakistan pacer Fatima had cleaned up Matthews’ opening partner Rashada Williams in the fourth over.

Matthews and Campbelle combined for 89 off 72 balls for the second wicket before spinner Tuba Hassan ended the partnership by dismissing the West Indies skipper in the 16th over.

Nida, with her leg-spin, went on to force an edge of Campbelle’s bat for wicket-keeper Najiha to grab the opportunity to send the batter back to the pavilion in the next over with 31 off 38 against her name.

Fatima struck again in the last over to bag Chidean Nation’s (10 off 13) wicket before. Chinelle Henry, who had put up a run-a-ball 20 with Nation, was run out by Muneeba after adding 11 to the total.

Scores in brief:

WEST INDIES 132-5 in 20 overs (Hayley Matthews 68; Fatima Sana 2-22); PAKISTAN 130-8 in 20 overs (Sidra Amin 63; Afy Fletcher 2-20).

Published in Dawn, May 1st, 2024