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Pakistan’s ODI captain Mohammad Rizwan opened up after the team’s defeat in the second ODI of the three-match series against West Indies on Sunday at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad.
“It was a good effort, the pitch was difficult till the end. The way Rutherford attacked, he got all the momentum,” Rizwan said during the post-match presentation.
Addressing the performance of the bowling attack, particularly the fifth bowler, Rizwan admitted it was a concern but stressed the importance of having multiple bowling options.
“We can feel like we are a bowler short, but Saim and Salman have been bowling regularly for us and bowling well. The forecast has been strange out here, we will check on the conditions tomorrow and decide on the team composition.,” he added.
The rain-affected match was reduced to 35 overs per side. Batting first, Pakistan had a cautious start but lost wickets at regular intervals. Jayden Seales led the West Indies bowling attack with 3/23, including the prized wicket of former captain Babar Azam for a duck. Abdullah Shafique (26) and Rizwan (16) tried to stabilise the innings, but at 88-4 in 22 overs, Pakistan were under pressure.
Hussain Talat’s quick 31 off 32 balls and Hasan Nawaz’s unbeaten 36 off 30 deliveries, which included three sixes, gave Pakistan some late momentum. Shaheen Afridi chipped in with 11 not out, helping the team reach 171/7 in 37 overs.
In reply, West Indies got off to a shaky start as Hasan Ali dismissed Brandon King (1) and Evin Lewis (7) early, reducing them to 12-2 inside four overs. Keacy Carty’s dismissal for 16 left the hosts struggling further, but Sherfane Rutherford’s aggressive 45 off 33 balls shifted the game.
Rutherford and Shai Hope (32) added valuable runs before both fell to Mohammad Nawaz. With the match still in the balance, Roston Chase (49 not out) and Justin Greaves (26) stitched together a match-winning 77-run partnership, guiding West Indies to victory in 33.2 overs.
The win levelled the series 1-1, setting up a thrilling decider in the final ODI.
