The Pakistan national cricket team kicked off their ODI series against the West Indies cricket team with a memorable five-wicket win at the Brian Lara Stadium, Tarouba on August 8, 2025. The match was filled with standout performances, tense moments, and the emergence of a new star — debutant Hasan Nawaz.
Match Build-Up & Context
Pakistan entered the ODI series with confidence after a 2–1 victory in the preceding T20I series. For this opening ODI, selectors brought in new faces while balancing experience. Hasan Nawaz was handed his maiden ODI cap, Hussain Talat returned after a long absence, and Sufiyan Muqeem featured as a spin option.
The West Indies lineup featured established performers like Keacy Carty and rising talent Jediah Blades, alongside skipper Shai Hope and big-hitting Evin Lewis.
West Indies’ First Innings
Winning the toss and batting first, the West Indies put up a total of 280 runs in 49 overs.
Key contributions:
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Evin Lewis: 60 (62 balls, 5 fours, 3 sixes)
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Shai Hope: 55 (anchored the innings)
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Roston Chase: 53 (stabilized the middle overs)
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Keacy Carty: 30 (kept the scoreboard ticking)
Pakistan’s bowling highlights included Shaheen Shah Afridi with 4/51, Naseem Shah with 3 wickets, and Sufiyan Muqeem chipping in with a crucial wicket.
Pakistan’s Chase & Turning Point
The chase started cautiously but saw quick wickets, putting Pakistan under pressure at 180/5 after Mohammad Rizwan fell for 53.
At that point, debutant Hasan Nawaz joined Hussain Talat for what became the defining partnership of the game. The duo added an unbeaten 104 runs:
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Hasan Nawaz: 63* (54 balls, 5 fours, 3 sixes) – calm under pressure, aggressive when needed.
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Hussain Talat: 41* (37 balls) – rotated the strike and punished loose deliveries.
They sealed the win in 48.5 overs, finishing at 284/5.
Notable Performances
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Man of the Match: Hasan Nawaz – a dream debut, displaying maturity beyond his years.
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Hussain Talat: Reinforced his value to the team after years out of the ODI setup.
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Sufiyan Muqeem: Provided control in the middle overs.
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Keacy Carty & Jediah Blades: Showed glimpses of their ability, but could not stop Pakistan’s late surge.
Timeline of the Match
| Time/Event | Details |
|---|---|
| Toss | West Indies opt to bat. |
| Overs 1–10 | Afridi strikes early, Lewis counterattacks. |
| Mid-Innings | Hope & Chase steady with fifties. |
| End of WI Innings | West Indies bowled out for 280 in 49 overs. |
| Pakistan Chase | Rizwan anchors early chase; collapse brings Nawaz & Talat together. |
| Final Overs | Nawaz’s sixes & Talat’s strike rotation take Pakistan over the line. |
Series Outlook
Pakistan now leads the 3-match ODI series 1–0. The next games on August 10 and August 12 will see the West Indies looking to bounce back, while Pakistan aims to clinch the series early.
With performances from Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, and Sufiyan Muqeem, Pakistan’s bench strength looks promising, and the West Indies will need sharper death bowling to turn the tide.
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