Jayden Seales produced a devastating spell of fast bowling to lead the West Indies to a 202-run victory over Pakistan in the decisive third one-day international in Trinidad on Tuesday. His career-best 6-18 tore through the visitors’ top order and ensured Pakistan were dismissed for just 92, chasing a target of 295.
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Batting first, the West Indies posted 294-6 from their 50 overs, with captain Shai Hope anchoring the innings with an unbeaten 120. His late partnership with Justin Greaves yielded 110 runs in just over eight overs, turning a modest total into a daunting one. Greaves’ aggressive strokeplay in the final stages gave the hosts momentum heading into the bowling innings.
Pakistan, needing a strong start, instead found themselves in early disarray. Seales removed Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, and Mohammad Rizwan inside the first three overs, leaving the scoreboard at a precarious 8-3. Babar Azam’s dismissal for nine compounded their woes, as the chase collapsed before it could gather pace.
Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie chipped in with two middle-order wickets, but it was Seales who returned to finish the job, removing tailenders Hasan Ali and Naseem Shah to complete his six-wicket haul. The performance marked one of the finest by a West Indies bowler in recent years.
Earlier, Pakistan’s bowlers had kept the home side in check after winning the toss and choosing to field. At 68-3, the West Indies looked vulnerable, with Keacy Carty and Sherfane Rutherford struggling to accelerate. Roston Chase briefly lifted the scoring rate with a brisk 36 before falling to Naseem Shah, and Motie’s dismissal to Mohammad Nawaz threatened to stall the innings again.
Hope’s calm yet commanding presence proved decisive. As wickets fell around him, he bided his time before launching a late assault alongside Greaves. The pair’s onslaught in the final overs pushed the total close to 300, a target that proved far beyond Pakistan’s reach.
The victory delivered the West Indies their first ODI series win over Pakistan since 1991, a significant milestone for a team rebuilding after heavy defeats in earlier tours. It also offered a timely confidence boost following a challenging summer that saw them outclassed by Australia in both Tests and T20s.
For Seales, it was a career-defining performance, and for the West Indies, a statement that they remain a force to be reckoned with in the 50-over format.
