West Indies well beaten by terrific Pakistan display

After restricting to West Indies to just 124 for 7, Bismah Maroof's young Pakistan side knocked off the runs with consummate professionalism and game management

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Pakistan secured a historic victory over West Indies in their first match of the Women’s T20 World Cup – just their third win against the Caribbean side in 13 attempts.

Heavily reliant on the star names of Hayley Matthews, Deandra Dottin and Stafanie Taylor, the West Indian innings got off to the worst possible start after winning the toss and opting to bat.

Diana Baig, who was impressive and found prodigious swing throughout her four overs, dismissed Matthews with the very first ball of the match.

The right-hander was adjudged lbw, though replays suggested that the ball pitched outside leg-stump and would likely have missed as well. However, after consulting with opening partner Leeann Kirby, no review came from the 21-year-old.

Kirby soon followed; looking to take Baig down, she spliced a short delivery up in the air to cover, bringing Dottin to the crease.

The allrounder, one of the finest female players of her era, has played just two international matches in the last year as she has battled with injury problems.

After making scores of one against India in a warmup fixture and then two against Thailand in the first game of West Indies’ T20 World Cup campaign, she looked out of sorts once again against Pakistan’s seamers. Eventually, when faced with Nida Dar’s off-spin, she slog-swept straight to long-on to end a disappointing 10-ball struggle.

^{West Indies were well beaten by Pakistan}

Taylor apart, the wickets continued to fall. Shemaine Campbelle added a 36-ball 43, but when she fell with four overs left, Chinelle Henry and Afy Fletcher soon followed, with Taylor sandwiched in between.

She fell, caught on the deep midwicket boundary off the bowling of Dar, as she looked to up the ante – she had just planted two sixes over the ropes.

As so often, much was left on her shoulders. Chedean Nation came to the crease too late to have a real impact, but her presence in the final few overs did at least take West Indies into three figures and to a final total of 124.

In response, Pakistan began in superb style. Javeria Khan and Muneeba Ali combined to put on a stand of 58 in just seven overs, before Javeria – the main aggressor – fell lbw to Taylor. Muneeba followed shortly afterwards, chipping via a leading edge to cover.

But in Dar and Bismah Maroof, two of Pakistan’s most experienced and heralded players were on hand to take up the mantle.

They picked up from where their openers had left off, easing their side towards a terrific and fully merited result that further opens up a wide open group.