DUBLIN: Pakistan Women suffered a disappointing start to the Tri-Nation T20I Series after going down to West Indies Women by 25 runs in an entertaining high-scoring encounter in Dublin on Saturday.
After winning the toss, the Caribbean side opted to bat first and made the most of favorable conditions, posting an imposing 199 for 6 in their allotted 20 overs. The West Indies batting lineup displayed aggressive intent from the outset, putting Pakistan’s bowlers under pressure throughout the innings.
Jannillea Glasgow led the charge with a brisk 42-run knock, while captain Hayley Matthews contributed 40 runs. Veteran batter Stafanie Taylor added valuable support with 39 runs, helping her side reach a challenging total just shy of the 200-run mark.
Pakistan’s bowling attack struggled to contain the flow of runs, although Nashra Sandhu and Rameen Shamim picked up two wickets each. Diana Baig also chipped in with a wicket, but the West Indies batters maintained their dominance and finished strongly.
Facing a daunting target of 200, Pakistan needed a strong start but found it difficult to keep pace with the required run rate. Despite losing wickets at crucial stages, the team showed resilience and continued to fight until the final over.
Experienced all-rounder Aliya Riaz emerged as Pakistan’s top scorer with 37 runs, while Syeda Aroob Shah? (if not in scorecard ignore; original says Saira Jabeen) Saira Jabeen contributed a valuable 30. Captain Fatima Sana played a spirited innings of 27 runs, and Iram Javed added 24 runs to keep Pakistan in contention.
However, the target proved too steep as Pakistan finished on 174 for 8 in 20 overs, falling 25 runs short of victory.
For West Indies, Shunisha Hector and Chinelle Henry claimed two wickets apiece, while Jahzara Claxton and Ashmini Munisar took one wicket each.
The defeat puts Pakistan under early pressure in the tournament, but they will have little time to dwell on the result. The Green Shirts are set to return to action on Sunday when they face hosts Ireland in a crucial second match, aiming to bounce back and revive their campaign.
