Nawaz–Talat Stand Guides Pakistan to Five-Wicket Win in Series Opener
West Indies vs Pakistan, 1st ODI – Tarouba, August 8, 2025
Pakistan 284/5 (Hasan Nawaz 63, Mohammad Rizwan 53, Hussain Talat 41, Joseph 2-65) beat West Indies 280 (Lewis 60, Hope 55, Chase 53, Afridi 4-51, Naseem 3-55) by 5 wickets**
A composed, unbeaten 104-run partnership between debutant Hasan Nawaz and Hussain Talat — playing just his second ODI — helped Pakistan overcome mid-innings nerves to chase down 281 with seven balls to spare, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
West Indies Build Steady Platform Before Late Collapse
After being sent in to bat under overcast conditions, West Indies overcame the early loss of a wicket thanks to a fluent 77-run stand between Evin Lewis (60) and Keacy Carty. Both targeted the new-ball pair of Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah, forcing Pakistan to turn to spin inside the first ten overs.
The introduction of Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, and Sufiyan Muqim slowed scoring dramatically. The middle overs saw seam bowling almost disappear, with only one over of pace bowled between the 10th and 37th overs.
Lewis brought up his half-century with aggressive strokeplay but perished on 60 trying to clear Ayub, with Shaheen taking a swirling catch. Sherfane Rutherford’s struggles continued as he chipped Agha to cover.
Roston Chase (53) and Shai Hope (55) consolidated, adding 64 for the fifth wicket, but their steady approach left the run rate under pressure. Once the ball began reversing, Shaheen and Naseem dismantled the lower order with pinpoint yorkers, dismissing the hosts for 280 with an over unused.
Pakistan’s Top Order Falter After Solid Start
Pakistan’s chase began shakily when Saim Ayub edged behind off Jayden Seales in the second over. Babar Azam (47) and Abdullah Shafique attempted to rebuild, but Shafique fell to Shamar Joseph after a composed start.
The third-wicket stand between Babar and Mohammad Rizwan (53) was slow to gather momentum, including a stretch of 16 consecutive dot balls. While they later increased the scoring rate, West Indies struck back as Gudakesh Motie removed Babar just short of fifty.
Rizwan’s wicket — trapped lbw by Joseph — left Pakistan wobbling at 179 for 5, still needing 101 runs with only the lower order to follow.
Nawaz and Talat Take Control Under Pressure
At that point, debutant Hasan Nawaz and the experienced but little-tested Hussain Talat took charge. Nawaz began cautiously, scoring just 3 runs off his first 12 balls and surviving a dropped catch by Shai Hope. Talat injected urgency with a pair of boundaries off Chase, before a costly over from Joseph — including five wides — brought 17 runs and eased the required rate.
From then on, the pair controlled the chase. Nawaz rode his luck when Motie dropped a simple chance at short third man with the match still alive. Talat’s aggression in the 47th over effectively sealed the result, before Nawaz’s boundary finished the game with seven balls remaining.
Key Performers
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Hasan Nawaz – 63* (debut), calm under pressure to anchor the chase.
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Hussain Talat – 41* (37), aggressive strokeplay in the closing stages.
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Shaheen Afridi – 4/51, struck early and closed the innings with yorkers.
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Naseem Shah – 3/55, reverse swing masterclass in the death overs.
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Roston Chase / Shai Hope / Evin Lewis – Each scored half-centuries to build West Indies’ total.
Series Situation
The victory gives Pakistan a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series. The second ODI will be crucial for West Indies as they seek to level the contest, while Pakistan will aim to secure the series with back-to-back wins.