Pakistan clinch T20 series against West Indies

Bengaluru, December 15: Pakistan quelled Romario Shepherd's late challenge to beat the West Indies by nine runs in the second Twenty20 at Karachi National Stadium to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Needing 23 off the last over, Shepherd hit Haris Rauf for 13 runs but the West Indies was bowled out on the last ball when the paceman clean bowled No. 11 batter Oshane Thomas.

The West Indies was all out for 163 in reply to Pakistan's 172 for eight.

The third and last T20, which is of academic interest now, will be played at the same venue on Thursday (December 16).

The three-match T20 series will be followed by a best-of-three One-day International series.

At Karachi on Monday (December 14), Pakistan were 141 for seven after 18 overs, but Shadab Khan's late charge -- he blasted an 28 off 12 balls to give them a defendable total as his cameo proved to be the difference.

"The finish from Shadab was very good," captain Babar Azam said. "There's grip for the spinners in the second innings, which is why we wanted to bat first."

Fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi (3-26) had West Indies on the mat at 131 for eight when he claimed three wickets in the 17th over.

Odean Smith was brilliantly snapped up by a diving Asif Ali on the edge of the boundary, Dominic Drakes, who made his debut in West Indies' 63-run defeat in the first T20, edged Afridi behind, and the left-arm fast bowler was on a hat trick when he clean-bowled Hayden Walsh off the next ball.

Shepherd denied Afridi a hat trick and his career-best 35 off 19 balls surprisingly lifted West Indies to the brink of a comeback win, but ultimately he was given too much to do with too little support.

"Tough one for us (but) big improvement from yesterday," West Indies skipper Nicholas Pooran said. "Felt like we lost here due to silly mistakes, irresponsible from myself, too. We tried our best to execute plans and it's our (top order) responsibility to carry the game."

Opener Brandon King (67) scored his maiden T20 half-century but Shadab Khan (0-22) did not allow him to score freely in the middle overs.

When King holed out in the deep in the 16th over off Rauf, he was only the fifth man down. But Afridi's three wickets in the next over confirmed the momentum was back with Pakistan.

Earlier, Pakistan's batting depth was on show again even after captain Babar, who won the toss and elected to bat, yet again couldn't get going and was run out for just 7.

Left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein stood out for the West Indies in an unchanged spell of four overs up front and had Fakhar Zaman stumped, but too many other batsmen got away.

Mohammad Rizwan top-scored with 38, Iftikhar Ahmed added 32, and Haider Ali made 31.

However, it was Shadab's breezy knock including three sixes in the last two overs which gave Pakistan just enough runs.

Chase, Cottrell, Mayers test positive for COVID-19, out of T20 series in Pakistan

The visitors had suffered an early blow just before the start of the series when left-arm pacer Sheldon Cottrell and two other players were ruled out of the T20I series after testing positive for COVID-19 upon their arrival in Karachi on December 9.

Besides the trio, a non-coaching member of the touring team management had also tested positive.

All the four positive persons, who were fully vaccinated and are asymptomatic, are undergoing a period of self isolation for 10 days after which again they will be tested.

(With inputs from Agencies)