Shamilia Connell (4-0-21-3) helped West Indies beat Pakistan in the first Women’s T20I by 10 runs at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua. West Indies have taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match series with the win.
Hayley Matthews (32 runs in 25) and Deandra Dottin (31 in 26) had got West Indies off to a blistering start after Javeria Khan asked them to bat. The pair shared a 65-run opening stand before Nashra Sandhu (1-31) dismissed Matthews in the ninth over.
In the next over, Nida Dar (2-15) removed Dottin to become the first Pakistani player to claim 100 T20I wickets. She then trapped Stafanie Taylor (11) leg before, reducing West Indies to 93/3. However, cameos from the Knight twins, Kycia (15 in 11 balls) and Kyshona (23 in 21), guided West Indies to 136/6.
Fatima Sana bagged 2-32 and Diana Baig 1-36. Anam Amin bowled better than her 4-0-20-0 reveal.
Coming to chase, Pakistan slumped to 40/5 in nine overs. None of their top five – Javeria Rauf (5). Javeria Khan (7), Muneeba Ali (9), Dar (9), and Aliya Riaz (8) – could not even reach the double digits.
Ayesha Naseem (45 not out in 33) and Sana (24 not out in 21) put on an unbeaten 69-run stand for the seventh wicket. However, with the damage that had been done earlier, it all went in vain as Pakistan finished on 126/6.
Aaliyah Alleyne bowled a maiden over in her 2-23, while Matthews (1-18) picked up the wicket of Ali.
This is West Indies’ first T20I victory with Courtney Walsh as coach, and also their first since the 2018 T20I World Cup.
The two sides will meet at the same venue for the second T20I on 2 July.
Brief Scores
West Indies Women 136/6 in 20 overs (Hayley Matthews 32; Nida Dar 2-15) beat Pakistan Women 126/6 in 20 overs (Ayesha Naseem 45*; Shamilia Connell 3-21) by 10 runs. Player of the Match: Shamilia Connell.