Windies’ T20 woes continue

LAUDERHILL, Florida (CMC):

West Indies’ struggles in T20 cricket showed no signs of easing as they suffered a 14-run defeat against Pakistan in the first T20 International at Broward County Stadium on Thursday night.

The loss marked their 17th defeat in the last 19 T20 matches, leaving captain Shai Hope searching for answers.

Pakistan posted a competitive 178-6, thanks to a solid 57 from Saim Ayub, while Shamar Joseph, who bagged 3-30, was the pick of the West Indies bowlers.

In response, the hosts could only muster 164-7, with Johnson Charles and debutant Jewel Andrew top-scoring with 35 each. Mohammad Nawaz 3-23 and Ayub 2-20 stifled the chase with disciplined spin bowling.

A visibly frustrated Hope pinpointed inconsistency across all departments as the root of the team’s struggles.

“Right now, we just need more consistent performance in all three areas of the game. We need to bowl well, field well, and bat well, something we haven’t been doing consistently as a team. To turn things around, we have to improve in all aspects.”

Reflecting on the chase, Hope acknowledged that the target was achievable but lamented the high number of dot balls, which amounted to nearly 60 across the innings.

“If we had converted 20 of those dots into singles, it could have been a different game. Against quality spinners on a slow, grippy pitch, the rotation of the strike is crucial. We have to be smarter in building innings and minimising risky shots.”

Amid the disappointment, Hope praised 18-year-old debutant Jewel Andrew, who showed composure at the top of the order.

“He’s a quality player, and you can see the class. He’s proven he belongs at this level, and he has all the shots. Now it’s about learning how to construct innings and grow as a batter. If he keeps working hard, he could become a legend of the game.”

The second match in the series gets underway at the same venue today.