Pakistan Humiliated As West Indies Crush Visitors By 202 Runs To End 34-Year ODI Series Drought

India.com

19 hours ago

After 34 years of waiting, the West Indies finally broke their ODI series drought against Pakistan in emphatic fashion, crushing the visitors by 202 runs in the deciding third match at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy. It was a complete team performance, powered by captain Shai Hope's unbeaten 120 and Jayden Seales' career-best 6 for 18, as the hosts clinched the series 2-1.
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Hope Anchors, Then Explodes to Lift West Indies to 294/6
Winning the toss, Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan opted to field on a surface offering grip for the spinners. Early wickets from Abrar Ahmed (2-34) and tight lines from Mohammad Nawaz kept the West Indies' scoring rate in check. At 68-3, the home side's innings looked to be meandering towards mediocrity.
However, Hope, known for his composure, shifted gears in the death overs. Partnering with *Justin Greaves (43 off 24)**, he launched a brutal counterattack in the final eight overs, plundering 110 runs. His knock included 10 fours and 5 sixes, marking his 18th ODI century and placing him third behind Brian Lara and Chris Gayle in West Indies' all-time ODI hundreds list.
Hope's late blitz against Pakistan's pace trio – Naseem Shah, Hasan Ali, and Shaheen Afridi's absence felt deeply – turned what looked like a modest total into a daunting 295-run target.
Seales Dismantles Pakistan's Top Order in Record Spell
If Pakistan's plan was to survive the early onslaught, Jayden Seales had other ideas. The 22-year-old pacer bowled with relentless accuracy and movement, removing Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, and Rizwan inside the first three overs.
His delivery to dismiss Rizwan – seaming back to kiss the off bail without touching the stumps – will be replayed for years. By the time Seales trapped Babar Azam lbw for nine, Pakistan were in freefall at 23-4.
Seales returned later to mop up the tail, dismissing Hasan Ali and Naseem Shah, completing the joint second-best ODI bowling figures by a West Indian.
Pakistan's Collapse Exposes Batting Frailties
Chasing 295, Pakistan never recovered from the early damage. Only Salman Agha (30) showed brief resistance, but with wickets tumbling and the asking rate spiraling, the visitors folded for 92 in 30.2 overs.
Gudakesh Motie (2-37) and Roston Chase (run-out, direct hit) added to Pakistan's misery. The decision to field extra batting depth at the expense of specialist bowlers backfired, leaving the middle order under-equipped to handle scoreboard pressure.
Historic Milestone for West Indies Cricket
This victory was more than just a series win – it was a statement. The West Indies had not beaten Pakistan in a men's ODI series since 1991, and after being swept by Australia earlier in the year, this triumph injected renewed belief into the side.
Hope, visibly elated, credited his bowlers for executing plans to perfection:
'We stress on negatives a lot in West Indies. So many positives to shout about today. Seales is a class act – anything you ask him to do, he puts his hand up.'
Rizwan, gracious in defeat, admitted:
'We lost three early wickets – that's what cost us. Seales has been brilliant all series.'
With young talents like Seales leading the pace attack and Hope anchoring the batting, the West Indies appear to be building a solid core ahead of the Champions Trophy 2025. For Pakistan, the defeat will raise urgent questions about batting application and squad balance, especially in overseas conditions.
Match Summary:
West Indies – 294/6 (Hope 120*, Greaves 43*, Abrar 2-34)
Pakistan – 92 (Agha 30, Seales 6-18, Motie 2-37)
Result: West Indies won by 202 runs, clinch series 2-1