After 34 years of waiting, the West Indies finally broke their ODI series drought against Pakistan in emphatic fashion, crushing the visitors by 202 runs in the deciding third match at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy. It was a complete team performance, powered by captain Shai Hope’s unbeaten 120 and Jayden Seales’ career-best 6 for 18, as the hosts clinched the series 2-1.
Winning the toss, Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan opted to field on a surface offering grip for the spinners. Early wickets from Abrar Ahmed (2-34) and tight lines from Mohammad Nawaz kept the West Indies’ scoring rate in check. At 68-3, the home side’s innings looked to be meandering towards mediocrity.
However, Hope, known for his composure, shifted gears in the death overs. Partnering with *Justin Greaves (43 off 24)**, he launched a brutal counterattack in the final eight overs, plundering 110 runs. His knock included 10 fours and 5 sixes, marking his 18th ODI century and placing him third behind Brian Lara and Chris Gayle in West Indies’ all-time ODI hundreds list.
Hope’s late blitz against Pakistan’s pace trio – Naseem Shah, Hasan Ali, and Shaheen Afridi’s absence felt deeply – turned what looked like a modest total into a daunting 295-run target.