West Indies beat Pakistan by 2 wickets in last-ball thriller; Jason Holder stars with bat and ball

In a nail-biting finish at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium in Lauderhill, Florida, West Indies kept their T20I series hopes alive with a dramatic 2-wicket win over Pakistan in the second match of the series. Chasing 134 for victory, the hosts managed to cross the line on the final ball of the match, with Jason Holder emerging as the hero of the night for his all-round brilliance.

Holder shines on both ends of the innings

Jason Holder delivered a standout performance that earned him the Player of the Match award. With the ball, he claimed 4 wickets for just 19 runs in his 4-over spell, stifling Pakistan’s batting momentum in the first innings. He then returned with the bat under pressure and struck a vital 16 off just 10 balls, including the winning boundary off the last ball.

Pakistan, after being put in to bat, managed to score 133/9 in their 20 overs. While the top order crumbled early, Salman Agha (38 off 33) and Hasan Nawaz (40 off 23) injected life into the innings. However, Holder’s double strike in the middle overs ensured Pakistan never found fluency. Shamar Joseph and Akeal Hosein supported well, picking up one wicket each.

West Indies stutter but sneak home

The chase wasn’t easy for West Indies. They lost wickets at regular intervals and were reduced to 98 for 7 at one stage. Gudakesh Motie played a crucial hand, scoring 28 off 20 to bring the game back on track. But it was Jason Holder’s calm under pressure that made the difference. He walked in with 37 needed off 26 balls and kept the scoreboard ticking with sensible batting.

The climax came down to the last over, with West Indies needing 9 runs. Shaheen Afridi, entrusted with the final over, conceded a few singles and wides before Holder unleashed a boundary off the final ball to seal the game.

Pakistan's spin trio impresses

Pakistan’s bowling was spearheaded by Mohammad Nawaz, who picked 3 wickets for just 14 runs in his 4 overs. Shaheen Afridi chipped in with 2 wickets but ended up conceding 31 in his full quota. Saim Ayub and Sufiyan Muqeem also bowled economically, but the total of 133 proved insufficient.

Match summary:

• Pakistan 1st Innings: 133/9 (Hasan Nawaz 40, Salman Agha 38; Jason Holder 4/19)
• West Indies 2nd Innings: 135/8 (Gudakesh Motie 28, Jason Holder 16*; Mohammad Nawaz 3/14, Shaheen Afridi 2/31)
• Result: West Indies won by 2 wickets
• Player of the Match: Jason Holder

With this win, West Indies end their six-match losing streak in T20Is and level the series 1–1. The decider is now set up for a mouth-watering contest as both teams look to clinch the series in the final game.