TRINIDAD, AUG 3 /DNA/ – Holder’s 4 for 19 and last-ball heroics kept series alive as West Indies defeated Pakistan in the 2nd T20 by 2 wickets.
This was not so much a game as an exhibition to showcase the brilliance of Jason Holder. The allrounder opened the bowling, took four wickets across phases of the Pakistan innings, walked in to bat when the equation was steepest, and won West Indies the second T20I with a boundary off the final delivery from Shaheen Shah Afridi. The two-wicket win sees the hosts level the series following a pulsating contest, one that ended with a savage Holder swipe past fine leg when they needed three off one, and a yell of unadulterated joy that ripped through Florida.
West Indies had won just two of their last 19 completed T20Is before this, but began the better of the two sides, puncturing Pakistan with early wickets that left them trying to catch up through the middle overs. They accomplished this to a point thanks to a counter-attacking 60-run fifth-wicket partnership between Salman Agha and Hasan Nawaz, only for Holder’s double-strike to peg them back again. The hosts dominated the final five overs which saw Pakistan produce just 23 runs, setting Shai Hope’s side an eminently manageable 134 for victory.
But batting appeared only to be getting more difficult, and Pakistan’s immaculate bowling complicated matters further for a tentative West Indies. Beyond a brief early flair from Jewel Andrew, West Indies soon fell behind the asking rate, epitomised by a tortured stay at the crease for captain Hope, who limped to 21 in 30 deliveries. With spinners scything through the middle order, it fell once more to Holder to pull off a heist.
There was some support from the other end as Gudakesh Motie and Romario Shepherd struck blows of their own. But just when West Indies had it in control, they appeared to lose it once more as Holder found himself stranded at the non-striker’s end for large parts of the final two overs. He was given the most consequential delivery of all though – the final one. When Afridi tried the surprise delivery by going at the pads rather than wide outside off, Holder found a way to get enough bat on it, slicing through two fielders, dashing Pakistan’s dreams in the process.
Holder’s day out
Holder was on fire with the bat as the first T20I closed out, taking West Indies closer to the target than they appeared on track for throughout the innings. With ball in hand, he carried on where he left off in the powerplay, drawing Saim Ayub into a slog wide outside off which kissed the edge. His opening partner Sahibzada Farhan, too, fell to Holder in the fourth over. Holder was everywhere, taking a sharp catch that sent Mohammad Haris on his way to reduce Pakistan to 21 for 3.
An hour or so later, Pakistan had stormed their way back into the game. Hasan Nawaz shook off a stodgy start to wallop Shepherd for three successive sixes to round out the 15th over and put Pakistan on target for a total in excess of 150. Once more, though, it was Holder who dragged them back, inducing Hasan Nawaz into a chip back to him to send him on his way. He would round out his bowling figures by dismissing the other Nawaz – Mohammad – and his figures of 4 for 19 did not flatter him in the slightest.
