West Indies thump Pakistan by eight wickets as spinners steal the show

Magnificent bowling performance from the off-spinning trio - Anisa Mohammed, Hayley Matthews, Karishma Ramharack - helped West Indies thump Pakistan by eight wickets in the second ODI on Friday (July 9). Mohammed led the tally with four scalps, with the other two spinners taking a couple each.



Pakistan were going strong at 78 for three after 22 overs. For the second time in this series, Muneeba Ali had crossed the 30-run mark and looked set for a big score. She was trying to build a partnership with Nida Dar after losing Omaima Sohail post the drinks break. The duo had added 19 runs together and seemed like they were on track for a long stand for the fourth wicket.



Then, Mohammed happened. Standing at first-slip, the off-spinner moved towards her right and took an incredible diving catch of Ali, who tried to scoop Matthews to the fine-leg boundary. The left-hander had to walk back to the pavilion after scoring 37 runs from 63 balls. From thereon, Pakistan's innings just went downhill.



For the nth number of time, Aliya Riaz was out in the middle with Dar when the tourists were four down in the 70s. This time, however, there was not much the duo could do. Stafanie Taylor and Matthews bowled tight lines, giving nothing away for the experienced Pakistan batters to capitalise. With the run-rate pressure building, Dar fell shortly after to Matthews for 20 runs from 41 balls.



Riaz tried to take some time to settle in and stitch a partnership with Sidra Nawaz. Meanwhile, Taylor rotated her off-spinners - Matthews, Mohammed and Ramharack - to tighten the screws on Pakistan. Nawaz and Riaz managed to score only eight runs in the 37 balls since Dar's wicket before the former got out trying to guide Mohammed through the third man region.



Riaz hit a couple of boundaries off Mohammed - one over mid-wicket and the other over extra-cover, but she, too, trying to smash the off-spinner down the track and playing it onto the stumps. Pakistan had crumbled to 115 for seven. Ramharack and Mohammed did not take long to clean up the tail as the tourists were all out for 120 in 42.4 overs.



After asked to bowl by Javeria Khan, Shamilia Connell and Shakera Selman provided the early breakthroughs for West Indies. Ayesha Zafar was early to flick a back-of-a-length from Selman that held up a little off the pitch and was caught by Kyshona Knight. Khan's poor run of form continued as the Pakistan skipper edged Connell into the hands of Selman at slip. They were down to 13 for two.



Joined by Sohail, Ali tried to revive the innings. The left-hander, in particular, seemed to play close to the body than she did during her previous outing. Whenever the seamers were too full, Ali drove them through covers, down the ground for boundaries. Sohail, at the other end, was taking her time to settle in.



Taylor had brought in an extra spinner in Ramharack for Caneisha Isaac after Pakistan's defensive approach against her and Mohammed in the first match. Playing her fourth ODI, Ramharack was welcomed by Sohail with back-to-back boundaries. The first one was fast and full, which Sohail drove through point. The off-spinner overcompensated with a short-pitched delivery that was put away by Sohail.



With Ali sweeping Mohammed to the fine-leg boundary, the duo was en route to a fifty-run partnership. Ramharack had settled in well and she trapped Sohail in front of the stumps, breaking the partnership for West Indies. Dar started positively with a boundary off Ramharack. Along with Ali, she kept the scoreboard moving by picking up occasional boundaries, but strike rotation was not easy for them. They added 18 runs from 37 balls before Ali fell to Matthews, and hell broke loose.



Chasing less than three runs per over, it was a perfect opportunity for Matthews to get some run under her belt. She hit a flurry of boundaries off Fatima Sana, providing West Indies with a brisk start. While Matthews was going at almost run-a-ball, Kyoshana was more than happy to hold forte at the other end.



When Sadia Iqbal came into the attack, Matthews hit her for a couple of boundaries in the same over. Matthews was batting at 33 from 34 balls, while Kyoshana had scored eight from 33.



The allrounder hit Nashra Sandhu through the off-side for a couple of boundaries, racing towards her fifth ODI half-century. However, a direct hit from Diana Baig meant that she fell short by one run. Her knock effectively made sure that West Indies could not lose from 65 for one, chasing 121.



Kyshona was joined by her sister Kycia Knight and the duo kept the scoreboard moving with singles and doubles. They added 28 runs together before the former was run out by Sana for 12 runs from 25 balls. Coming in at number four, Deandra Dottin did what she does best. The allrounder smashed Sandhu for back-to-back boundaries and followed it up with one more off Iqbal. West Indies cruised their way to 121 for two in 31.1 overs. Kyshona made 39 from 90 balls, and Dottin scored a 15-ball 13.



Brief Scores: Pakistan - 120 all out in 42.4 overs (Muneeba Ali 37, Anisa Mohammed 4/27) lost to West Indies - 121/2 in 31.1 overs  (Hayley Matthews 49, Kyshona Knight 39) by eight wickets.