Women’s T20 World Cup: West Indies squeeze past Pakan in thriller

West Indies kept their slender semifinal hopes alive with a nail-biting three-run win over Pakan in a last-ball finish in the Women’s T20 World Cup here on Sunday.
West Indies (-0.601), who have played all their group matches and are on four points, can still qualify for the semifinals if India (+0.205), also on four points, lose to Ireland a huge margin, denting their net run rate and Pakan, who are on two points also go down to England.
Bidding to build on their win over Ireland, the Windies opted to bat and posted a below-par 116-6 at Boland Park.
Skipper Hayley Matthews took key Pakan wickets early and late in the innings to inspire her side to a dramatic victory.
Matthews and Rashada Williams flayed 15 from the bowling of Aiman Anwer in the fourth over but navigated the powerplay in cagey fashion.
Matthews perished late in the powerplay when she tried to lift Fatima Sana over the midwicket boundary but only found the hands of Sidra Ameen.
It was a massive wicket that sparked wild celebrations but Shemaine Campbelle joined Williams and the pair put on 40 at a run-a-ball.
The second-wicket stand came to a tame end when Williams offered a simple return catch to the outstanding Sadia Iqbal to depart for 30.
Chinelle Henry muscled two boundaries but was trapped in front Nida Dar for 11 and Campbelle went in the next over, smartly stumped Muneeba Ali.
Dar bowled Aaliyah Alleyne in the penultimate over, her 125th T20I wicket, making her the joint-leading wicket-taker in the hory of the format.
Pakan began cautiously in reply to 116-6 and it was Windies game-changer Matthews who got the breakthrough, dismissing the dangerous Muneeba Ali for five in the fourth over.
Matthews was at the heart of the action again two balls later when she took a sharp catch at midwicket to account for Sidra Ameen, with Pakan at 15 for two.

The experienced pairing of Bismah and Dar then embarked on a measured partnership that rarely got out of first gear until the latter whipped Henry to the midwicket fence in the 13th over.
Dar looked to go aerial again in the next over but was deceived in the flight Afy Fletcher and caught at extra cover Karishma Ramharack, with 57 runs still required.
Pakan have been some dance the best finishers at this tournament and Aliya Riaz began to free her arms.
But she lost the stabilising influence of Bismah who was given out LBW on review after miming a reverse sweep off the bowling of Matthews.
Aliya and Fatima needed 18 from the final over and they took 13 from Shamilia Connell’s first four balls with some brilliant hitting, before Aliya chopped on to her own stumps to dramatically end Pakan’s hopes.