Three wickets in an over by left -arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz, Pakistan made a brilliant comeback in the first T20 international match, defeating the West Indies by 14 runs. On receiving the first batting invitation, Pakistan scored 178 runs for six wickets thanks to 57 runs in 38 balls of Sam Ayub, who was adjudged Man of the Match. In response, the West Indies could score 164 runs for seven wickets despite a good start. The second and third T20 matches between the two teams will be played in Loderhill on Saturday and Sunday.

Opener Johnson Charles (35) and 18 -year -old Jewel Andrew (35), who are playing their first T20 international matches, shared a 72 -run partnership for the first wicket to give the West Indies a great start, but Nawaz, who gave 20 runs in their first three overs, dramatically changed the match. He dismissed Andrew at the beginning of the 12th over and then took the West Indies score to 75 wickets with the wickets of Charles and Gudkesh Moti (00) off the fourth and fifth balls.

Captain Shai Hope (02) was caught out on Ayub’s full ball in the next over. The West Indies lost four wickets for five runs. Nawaz took three wickets for 23 runs while Ayub took two wickets for 20 runs. Jason Holder (30 not out of 12 balls) hit four sixes and Shamar Joseph scored an unbeaten 21 off 12 balls but this reduced the margin of defeat. Apart from Nawaz, Ayub took two wickets for Pakistan. Shaheen Afridi and Sufiyan Mukim took one wicket each.

Earlier, apart from Ayub, Shahibzada Farhan scored 14 runs for Pakistan, Fakhar Zaman 28 runs and Hasan Nawaz scored 24 runs. Apart from this, Mohammad Nawaz scored nine runs, captain Salman Agga scored 11 runs and Faheem Ashraf scored 16 runs. Mohammad Harris scored six runs and captain Aga remained unbeaten. From the West Indies, Shamar Joseph took three wickets, while Holder, Akil Hussain and Romio Shepherd took one wicket each.