Pakistan sweep West Indies 3-0

Pakistan players celebrate with the trophy after winning the third and final Twenty20I against West Indies at the National Stadium in Karachi yesterday. (AFP)

Pakistan pulled off their highest Twenty20 international run-chase in a seven-wicket win over the West Indies yesterday to complete a 3-0 series sweep in Karachi. Mohamed Rizwan smacked 87 off 45 balls and captain Babar Azam made 79 as the opening pair put on 158 to help Pakistan reach a target of 208 in 18.5 overs in a match that was nearly called off because of Covid cases. The match was eventually given the go-ahead despite five members - including three players - of the West Indies squad testing positive yesterday. That took the total of positive cases in the tourists’ camp to nine after three players and a staff member tested positive on Saturday. West Indies skipper Nicholas Pooran hit a career-best 37-ball 64 with six sixes and two fours as his side finished on 207-3. Pakistan won the first match by 63 runs and the second by nine runs, both in Karachi. This is their seventh 3-0 whitewash in Twenty20 international cricket, and their third against the West Indies. Rizwan, who overturned a first-ball leg-before decision against him, and Babar took the attack to the West Indies bowlers with a stand of 158 in 15 overs. Babar, who hit nine fours and two sixes in his 53-ball knock, holed out to long-off. Babar and Rizwan registered their sixth century stand in Twenty20 internationals - all this year - the most by any pair in the format. India’s Rohit Sharma and K L Rahul have five century stands in T20I cricket. Rizwan, who blasted 10 fours and three sixes, fell to a miscued shot off Dominic Drakes with just 24 to win. Rizwan finished with 1,326 runs in 29 matches in the calendar year - the most by any batsman in T20 internationals. “This win is a great sign for me as a captain,” said Babar. “We all know runs keep going more in T20I cricket, and the way we are scoring is the best thing for us.” Rizwan also became the first player to surpass 2,000 T20 runs in a calendar year across domestic and international matches. He scored 2,036 runs in 48 T20 games. “The way Rizwan has played through 2021, the way he has improved his batting, is a great learning for youngsters,” added Babar. The hosts finished 2021 with six wins in eight T20I series, winning 20 of the 29 matches - a T20I record in a calendar year.  Pakistan’s previous highest run chase was 204, against South Africa at Centurion in April this year.BRIEF SCORES: West Indies 207 for 3 (Pooran 64, Brooks 49, King 43, Wasim 2-44) lose to Pakistan 208 for 3 (Rizwan 87, Babar 79, Smith 1-34) beat by seven wickets