Hope, Seales shine as WI end 34-year drought

TAROUBA, Trinidad (CMC):

A sensational, unbeaten century from skipper Shai Hope followed by a devastating spell of fast bowling by Jayden Seales piloted the West Indies to a historic 202-run victory over Pakistan at the Brian Lara Cricket Stadium yesterday.

Their heroics ended a 34-year long wait for a bilateral ODI series win over Pakistan, having last defeated them in 1991, and was also their largest ever win over the visitors.

It also gave the West Indies their first ODI series win for 2025, following defeats to England and Pakistan and a drawn series against Ireland.

Player of the Match Hope produced a masterclass of an innings in scoring 120 not out and was the main reason the home side posted a formidable 294 for six in their 50 overs after they were sent in to bat.

Seales, who was named Player of the Series after finishing with 10 wickets, then wrecked Pakistan's top order on his way to the joint second-best figures (6-18) by a West Indies man in ODI cricket, to bundle them out for just 92 in 29.2 overs.

The West Indies were stifled by a slow start and by the end of the 14th over had progressed to 57 for the loss of openers Brandon King and Evin Lewis for five and 37, respectively.

Keacy Carty looked out of sorts for the second straight match before Abrar Ahmed dismissed him yet again for 17 from 45 balls, and when Sherfane Rutherford lost his wicket to Saim Ayub for a laboured 15 from 40 balls, West Indies fell to 113 for four in the 31st over.

Hope found a useful ally in Roston Chase, and the pair added 64 runs in 10 overs to get the West Indies going.

During that period, Hope reached his half century off 54 balls with a paddle sweep off spinner Mohammad Nawaz.

Chase hit two huge sixes and three fours in his knock before he was undone by an excellent yorker from pacer Naseem Shah to leave the Windies 177 for five in the 41st over.

However, a 110-run partnership between Hope and Justin Greaves completely turned the innings around and left Pakistan's bowlers shell- shocked.

Hope began the carnage by blasting Mohammad Nawaz for consecutive sixes in the 44th over that yielded 15 runs and followed up by clobbering Ahmed for two sixes and a four in the ensuing over that went for 18 runs, to move into the 90s.

He then brought up his 18th ODI century off 83 balls with a blazing cover drive off Shah that sped away to the boundary.

Hope faced 94 balls and struck 10 fours and five sixes, while Greaves ended unbeaten on 43 from 24 balls with four fours and two sixes.

Pakistan's run chase suffered an early setback when Seales had Ayub caught behind with the third ball of the innings without a run on the board.

Things went from bad to worse for the visitors when the fast bowler had Abdullah Shafique caught at mid on by Motie, also for a duck, and then bowled captain Mohammad Rizwan first ball with an inswinger that he left alone, to leave Pakistan in tatters at eight for three.

The match was essentially over when Seales trapped Babar Azam leg before wicket for nine, as Pakistan fell to 23 for four.