Pakistan scripts winning return to Karachi, register second biggest win in T20I

Pakistan thumped a depleted West Indies side by a mammoth 143 runs in the first of three Twenty20s in Karachi on Sunday, the first international match in the city for nine years.

New Delhi: Pakistan thumped a depleted West Indies side by a mammoth 143 runs in the first of three Twenty20s in Karachi on Sunday, the first international match in the city for nine years.

Batting first after losing the toss, the hosts equalled their highest-ever T20 score, with Hussain Talat top-scoring with a 37-ball 41, opener Fakhar Zaman getting a 24-ball 39 and skipper Sarfraz Ahmed hitting 38 off 22 balls. Towards the end Shoaib Malik’s unbeaten 14-ball 37 blitzkrieg helped Pakistan post 203-5 in their designated quota of 20 overs. Barring pacer Keemo Paul’s 4-0-26-1, all the Windies bowlers proved expensive and gave away runs with an economy of over 9 RPO.

Chasing a mammoth target the visitors were bowled out for their lowest T20 total of 60 in 13.4 overs. Top scorer Marlon Samuels could only muster 18 off 19 balls with seven batsmen getting out on single digits. Pacer Mohammad Nawaz and Mohammad Amir along with all-rounder Shoaib Malik bagged 2 wickets respectively while Hasan Ali, Shadab Khan and Hussain Talat picked a wicket each.

Hasam Talat was adjourned Man of the Match for his blistering knock of 41.

Pakistan’s win margin of 143 runs is now the second biggest win by any team in the international T20s and biggest by a team against a full member team. The biggest ever win in T20Is by runs was achieved by Sri Lanka when it defeated Kenya by 172 runs in World T20 2007.

Subsequently, this is also Pakistan’s biggest victory in terms of runs margin. The previous was by 103 runs against New Zealand in 2010 at Christchurch.

West Indies’ score of 60 all out is lowest ever by any team against Pakistan. The total is also the joint lowest by a full member’s team in T20Is. New Zealand was also bowled out for 60 runs against Sri Lanka at Chittagong in 2014.

This is also jointly the 4th-lowest innings total by any team ever in T20Is. The other teams with worse totals than West Indies are Netherlands 39, Nepal 53, and Kenya 56.

The second match between the two sides will also be played at National Stadium in Karachi on Monday.