PAK vs WI: Top five performers of T20I series
Continuing their sensational run in the longest format of the game, Pakistan thrashed West Indies 3-0 in the recently-concluded T20I series. The series was indeed a one-sided affair as the hosts were in command for the best part. While the Babar Azam-led side walked away with comfortable triumphs in the first two games, the last encounter did go down to the wire but West Indies ended up on the losing side once again.
It must be noted that West Indies had to field their second-stringed team in this series as many of their frontline players were unavailable, including regular skipper Kieron Pollard, who was injured. Moreover, the likes of Kyle Mayers, Sheldon Cottrell and Roston Chase tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. On expected lines, the Nicholas Pooran-led side couldn’t do much and suffered a clean sweep.
Meanwhile, let’s look at the top five performers of the series:
Akeal Hosein
Excellent start for @windiescricket
Akeal Hosein gets a MASSIVE wicket in the first over.#PAKvWI pic.twitter.com/QKFlkYOUDd— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) December 13, 2021
In a series where the likes of Mohammad Rizwan and Babar were among the runs, Akeal Hosein did a brilliant job in restricting the run flow. The left-arm spinner maintained an economy rate of 4.38 and also took two wickets in as many appearances.
Mohammad Wasim Jr
The young speedster made optimum utilization of the opportunity and made the ball talk in the series. Be it taking wickets with the new ball or restricting the run flow in the death overs, the 20-year-old aced every challenge and took a total of 10 wickets in this series, most for any bowler.
Brandon King
While West Indies didn’t have many pleasant moments in the series, Brandon King managed to make a significant mark. The right-handed batter got starts consistently and even slammed a half-century. His tally of 111 runs is the second-highest for any batter in the series.
Mohammad Rizwan
The only man to slam over 1000 T20I runs in a calendar year, Rizwan continued his run-scoring spree against the Caribbean team. With the help of two half-centuries, the dasher slammed 203 runs and also bagged the Player-of-the-Series award. Not to forget, he was also clinical behind the stumps.
Babar Azam
The Pakistan skipper has smashed the best of bowlers this year and as West Indies possess a weak bowling line-up, the 27-year-old was set to pile up runs. While Azam couldn’t do much in the first two games, he slammed a match-winning 79 in the final encounter to earn his side a clean sweep. Overall, he slammed 86 runs in the series.