Hafeez heroics gives Pakistan 1-0 lead over West Indies

After rain played spoilsport in the opening encounter in Barbados, Pakistan took a 1-0 series lead in Guyana following their tight seven-run victory over the West Indies in the 2nd T20I. Babar Azam top-scored for the visitors with a half-century, while veteran all-rounder Mohammed Hafeez proved to be the difference with the ball, finishing with incredible figures of 1-6 from his four overs to help Pakistan defend 157. Nicholas Pooran scored a gutsy 62* to take the hosts close to victory, but Pakistan closed out the win to take a 1-0 lead in the T20 series.

The visitors started strongly in the powerplay after some clean hitting from openers Sharjeel Khan and Mohammad Rizwan, with the latter breaking the record for the most T20I runs in a calendar year (752 runs in 15 matches) with his 46 off 36 deliveries. 

Babar Azam carried on from where the openers left off and compiled a well-made half-century to give the visitors the perfect platform to go big at the death. Pakistan were in cruise control at 134/2, but the momentum of their innings was completely derailed by a brief rain delay as the visitors lost six wickets for 23 runs following the break to finish with a below-par total of 157. Jason Holder picked up the key wicket of Babar Azam following the interval and finished with impressive figures of 4-26 to help restrict the Pakistani batters at the end.

In their reply, the hosts got off to the worst possible start to their run-chase as Mohammed Hafeez cleaned up Andre Fletcher within the first over. The 40-year-old utilized all his experience to concede only five runs including one maiden in the powerplay with the West Indies batters struggling to rotate the strike.

The dot-ball pressure from Hafeez eventually produced one more wicket as Chris Gayle departed off the final ball of the powerplay after an uncharacteristic knock off 16 from 20 deliveries. The hosts continued to struggle through the middle overs against the spinners, with Hafeez bowling 12 dot balls in a row and finishing with an extremely economical spell of 1-6.

With 74 needed off the final five overs, Nicholas Pooran finally clicked into gear for the hosts, smacking 18 runs off the 16^th over to put the pressure back on Pakistan. The left-hander reached his fifty off 28 deliveries and was the sole hope for the West Indies, with Pollard unable to find his timing on the night.

Pooran hit a pair of sixes off the penultimate over to leave 20 runs needed off the final over, but Shaheen Afridi held his nerve to close out the game and help Pakistan win by 7 runs.