Hayley Matthews' 78 helps West Indies finish series 4-1 against Pakistan
Written by I Dig SportsWest Indies 136 for 2 (Matthews 78, Campbelle 33*, Iqbal 1-24) beat Pakistan 134 for 8 (Ameen 48, Muneeba 25, Fletcher 3-17) by eight wickets
But, led by legspinner Afy Fletcher, West Indies engineered an almighty Pakistan collapse. Only Rameen Shamim, whose late unbeaten 11-ball 16 got Pakistan past 130, managed double figures after the top three. Pakistan lost seven wickets for 37 runs as Fletcher, Joseph and Matthews all cashed in, strangling the innings until Shamim's final-over flourish. Sidra top-scored for Pakistan with a 52-ball 48.
But West Indies had the momentum, and never truly ceded it. Matthews started cautiously once more, allowing Rashada Williams to inflict the early jabs. Sadia Iqbal got rid of her in the fifth over, but that brought out Shemaine Campbelle, who, together with Matthews put together a 103-run partnership, terminally ending any Pakistan hopes of another consolation win. Towards the second half of that innings, Matthews seemed to be finding boundaries at will, 11 of them sprinkled throughout her innings as she surpassed 50 and helped her side hurtle towards what suddenly looked like an inadequate target. Campbelle, meanwhile eased along for an unbeaten 33 off 35, happy to play second fiddle at a master in full flow.
Pakistan did manage to get Matthews out one final time in the series, Nashra Sandhu knocking her stumps back. But by then, West Indies needed just seven to win, and Matthews' work was done.