WI vs PAK | Pakistan bowlers used the angles and wicket very well, admits Kieron Pollard

West Indies lost to Pakistan by seven runs in the second T20I on Saturday at the Providence Stadium in Guyana. Pakistan took a 1-0 lead in the four-match series after the first game was washed away by rain

West Indies wicketkeeper-batsman Nicholas Pooran blazed 62 runs off 33 balls but it wasn’t enough for the hosts to cross the finishing line as Pakistan spinners led by Mohammad Hafeez dominated the earlier part of the innings. Hafeez, who opened the bowling for Pakistan, bowled a magnificent spell of 4-1-6-1 to keep the West Indies power-hitters in control while bowling 12 dot balls in a row. In the second ball of West Indies’ chase, the senior Pakistan all-rounder cleaned the stumps of opener Andre Fletcher. 

Leg-spinner Shadab Khan (0/22) complemented Hafeez on a sluggish wicket, as the former conceded just one boundary in his four overs spell. West Indies skipper Kieron Pollard credited Pakistan bowlers for hitting the right areas and bowling tight in order to halt their 158-run chase. 

“The way they (Pakistan) manoeuvred their leg-spinners. I thought it was well done by them and then we had to explode towards the end. There was moisture and swing, grip for the bowlers, they (Pakistan) used the angles and used the wicket a lot more,” Pollard said in the post-match presentation. 

“Those Hafeez 4 overs for about 5 or 6 runs and you look back at that and say that we could have knocked a few singles here and there. Having said that the guys really fought through and yes we came out on the losing end but the fight we kept through, that was impressive,” Pollard said further. 

Earlier, Pakistan skipper Babar Azam (51) and Mohammad Rizwan (46) combined in a 67-run partnership for the second wicket before Rizwan was run out in the 15th over. Pakistan lost six wickets while adding just 23 runs in the final four overs of their innings. Jason Holder (4/26) and Dwayne Bravo (2/24) restricted their total to 157/8. Pollard said that his bowlers did a fantastic job by saving at least 23 runs and promised to improve their tactics in the next match. 

“Thought 170-180 would have been too much and the way the guys came back in the last 10 overs with the ball and be consistent in that part of the game, was good. There are some things we see there (during the chase) and we will continue to improve on that,” Pollard said. 

“Will have a lot of intense discussions and try and put your foot forward each and every time. It's all about improvement. For us, someone has to win and someone has to lose and yes we ended up on the losing end today but, all hope is not lost,” he concluded.