West Indies 124 for 3 (Matthews 58, Campbell 21, Baig 1-22) Defeat Pakistan 121 for 7 (Muneeba 55, Matthews 3-26, Henry 1-15) by seven wickets
Pakistan, who conceded an almost identical score in the first T20I, opted to bat first this time only to see their innings fall into early peril. Gull Feroza struggled to get the ball out of the field in a tortuous 29-ball 14, with Chinelle Henry in particular giving her considerable trouble. She struck to remove Sidra Ameen early, with the onus of scoring falling on Muneeb, and as a result, Pakistan limped to just 33 in the over.
Muneeba put some momentum into the innings, but her 47-ball 55 was the only Pakistani effort that was better than a run-ball. An encouraging third-wicket partnership with Nida Dar was broken at a crucial moment in the 16th over, just as Pakistan might have felt they had a platform to launch at the death. Three wickets fell and just five scored in the championship final over Matthews as Pakistan’s effort ended tamely, the home side limping for 121 on a pitch that looked to have offered considerably more.
However, apart from Matthews, the West Indies were never able to get on top of Pakistan’s bowlers. The visitors did start quickly, cruising for 38 in the first five overs, but it was something of a one-woman show, with Matthews hitting all five West Indies boundaries in this period. When the spin trio of Nashra Sandhu, Tuba Hassan and Nida Dar came on, Pakistan briefly regained some control, with West Indies scoring just over six over the next six overs.
But Pakistan needed wickets and West Indies never had to take the risks that gave them a glimpse. By the time Sadia Iqbal bowled Matthews, West Indies needed just 34 to win and had over seven overs to do so. There might have been the faintest glimmer of hope for the home side when Shemaine Campbell was cleaned up by Tuba. , but the visitors were too clinical and had run Pakistan out by then. Both sides were going through the motions as the Chedean Nation sealed the win with a boundary and it felt like a formality was being completed.
The third of the five T20Is is in Karachi on April 30, with a win for West Indies guaranteeing a series win.