With a single swing of the bat on the final ball, Jason Holder became the hero, snatching a thrilling two-wicket victory for West Indies to level their T20 series against Pakistan.
Holder had earlier set up the win with a brilliant spell of 4 for 19 that restricted Pakistan to just 134. But that modest chase went down to the wire, and it was Holder himself who finished the job, hitting the winning runs off star quick Shaheen Shah Afridi as the clock ran out.
Pakistan, after choosing to bat, posted 133 for 9. Hasan Nawaz top-scored with 40, while Salman Agha added 38. The pair put on a 60-run stand for the fifth wicket that briefly steadied the innings after early trouble at 21 for 3. Holder’s return to the attack late in the innings changed the course again, removing both Nawaz batters and restricting Pakistan to just 23 runs in the last five overs.
West Indies began their chase cautiously. Early aggression from Jewel Andrew faded quickly as Pakistan’s spinners turned the game. Mohammad Nawaz claimed 3 for 14, supported by Saim Ayub and Sufiyan Muqeem, who combined for three more wickets and gave up just 53 runs in their 12 overs. Shai Hope struggled for momentum, making 21 off 30 balls, and the run rate dipped below the requirement.
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Gudakesh Motie’s 28 and Romario Shepherd’s cameos kept the hosts within reach. Yet the tension rose again when Holder spent much of the last two overs stuck at the non-striker’s end. Afridi’s final delivery, aimed at the pads, gave him the chance he needed.
The winning shot—a perfectly placed flick to fine leg—sent the West Indies team into a frenzy. That one shot snapped a horrendous run of form for them in T20 cricket, where they’d been on the losing end of 17 of their last 19 completed games.
That collapse sets up a winner-take-all match later this week. For both teams, it’s not just about the series trophy anymore; it’s about finding some shred of confidence before heading into their next big set of games.
