Jason Holder delivered an all-round masterclass to guide West Indies to a dramatic two-wicket victory over Pakistan in the second T20I on Saturday, levelling the three-match series 1-1. The nail-biting win not only ended West Indies’ losing streak in the format but also reignited hope for the Caribbean side after a tough run in international cricket.
Pakistan decided to bat first, but Holder’s ferocious bowling spell—which saw him take 4 for 19 in his four overs—put them behind early. On a challenging Florida pitch, his precise line and length helped the bowlers tremendously by limiting Pakistan to a respectable 133/9.
Despite efforts from Hasan Nawaz, who smashed a quick 40 off 23 balls, and captain Salman Agha’s composed 38 from 33 deliveries, Pakistan struggled to build momentum. Their innings faltered after being reduced to 53/4 by the 10th over. Mohammad Nawaz provided some control in the middle order and later with the ball, taking 3 for 14 in four overs, continuing his stellar form from the first match.
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Tense Chase on a Spin-Friendly Track
West Indies, chasing 134, found the going tough against Pakistan’s disciplined spin attack. The top order failed to convert starts, and the team slipped to 70/5 in the 14th over following Roston Chase’s dismissal. The pressure was mounting, but Gudakesh Motie and Romario Shepherd held firm to steady the innings.
What a Match outstanding performance by Jason Holder with bowl and Bat too 1 ball left and required 3 runs Jason Holder Hit the ball for boundary Four Westendies win by 2 wickets Against Pakistan #pakvswl|#WIvPAK|#wivspak pic.twitter.com/vTqvBZd15i
— Babar Azam Army Gang (@BabarArmyGang) August 3, 2025
Shepherd contributed 15 off 11 deliveries, and Motie produced a vital knock of 28 from 20 balls. West Indies was still in the hunt after his 10-run explosion in Hasan Ali’s penultimate over proved to be the game-changing moment.
With eight runs needed in the final over and three required off the last ball, Holder remained calm and struck a boundary off Shaheen Shah Afridi to seal a memorable win.
Captain and Star Performer Reflect
“Been a tough couple of weeks for us. We always strive to improve; the guys have put in a lot of hard work. Hopefully, today is the turnaround we are looking for,” said West Indies captain Shai Hope after the victory.
Holder, named Player of the Match, admitted the team had struggled with consistency.
“We’ve had a fair bit of criticism, which is warranted. We haven’t done justice to our potential. We can be a lot better; consistency has plagued us,” he said.
Series Decider and What Lies Ahead
The T20I series is now poised for an exciting finale with the third match set to take place in Lauderhill on Sunday. The ODI leg of the tour will follow in the Caribbean, where both teams will look to build momentum ahead of upcoming international assignments.
This win marks West Indies’ first T20 success in seven games, having endured a 5-0 whitewash against Australia and a Test series defeat before this. Holder’s brilliance might be the spark they needed to turn their fortunes around.
