WI VS PAK - 2nd T20I, Pakistan tour of West Indies, 2021

What a close contest it was! This is why we don't want any rain between these two sides. West Indies are entertainers in this format and Pakistan are tough when they play to potential. They have conditions similar to home and 1-0 lead as well. The teams will rest the night and comeback tomorrow morning for the third T20I. Hope the rain stays away for us to enjoy the cricket. See you soon!

Babar Azam | Pakistan captain: (As translated) We were 10-15 runs short after the rain. But a nice victory. Bowlers bowled really very well. Credit to our bowlers, they bowled really well. We lost momentum because of back to back wickets. We were looking at 170. It's an area we will try to improve in the next few games. The way he (Hafeez) bowled in the powerplay showed his experience. I'm happy as a captain with the way he bowled.

Kieron Pollard | West Indies skipper: 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 was moisture and swing, grip for the bowlers, they (Pakistan) used the angles and used the wicket a lot more. 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. 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 are somethings we see there (during the chase) and we will continue to improve on that. 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.

Mohammad Hafeez | Player of the Match - I would love it, we had a score on the board, we knew it would be tough to score against spinners. We bowled well, myself and Shadab and then the pacers executed the yorkers well.  Being here many times (having played CPL), I knew if I do the basics well, hit the right lines, executed the skills and that worked for me. A little more comfortable when I bowl to the left-handers, but it's still important to hit the right areas.

Pakistan had a very good start with the bat, but they lost 23/6 at the death after the rain break. Holder took four and was on a hat-trick alongside DJ Bravo. Many thought West Indies had pulled this back, but Mohammad Hafeez bowled an unbelievable spell of 4-1-6-1, including 12 successive dot balls against power-hitters and almost getting back-to-back maiden overs. West Indies took the approach of taking it deep with wickets in hand, but they left it too late and paid the price.

14:53 Local Time, 18:53 GMT, 00:23 IST: How often to do you a West Indies team not loose many wickets, yet fall short of the target these days? Babar Azam and Co repeaing the rewards for a sensational squeeze for most parts of the innings. In the 16th over, when Mohammad Wasim swayed from what was working for the team untill that point - pace off and into the wicket, they was some nerves in the Pakistani camp as Pooran got into him with some very good hits. 18 came off that over to instill belief and every time Pakistan offered pace in the slot, Pooran was severe. It came down to 20 off 6 balls, but Pooran was off strike for the first two and it wasn't a usual day at the office for Pollard and the rest.

Shaheen Afridi to Pooran, SIX, lovey shot to end the game. Full and outside off stump, Pooran reaches and slices this one one leg over point. This is why he wanted to keep strike for the entire final over. Pakistan win the game by 7 runs

Shaheen Afridi to Pooran, FOUR, he's nailing the yorker, but Pooran manages to hit that powerfully enough wide of long-off, only to reduce the defeat margin. Pakistani supporters happy

Shaheen Afridi to Pooran, no run, that's it! Again it just a hard drive to long-off along the ground. No run taken and two legal balls will take Pakistan home

West Indies need three sixes now

Shaheen Afridi to Pooran, no run, full and in the slot, Pooran swings to long-off, only along the ground but doesn't take the run

Jason Holder, right handed bat, comes to the crease

Shaheen Afridi to Pollard, out Caught by Mohammad Wasim Jr!! Low full toss, not timed and it's taken! Pollard walks off dejected. Oh dear, how often have you seen Pollard not smash a low full toss over the rope. Shaheen Afridi very lucky that Pollard only got a leading edge. And imagine where that ball would have gone had he middled when a leading edge went as far as deep cover. Pollard closed the bat face a tad too early. 18 off 4 now, Pooran crosses over to take control. Pollard c Mohammad Wasim Jr b Shaheen Afridi 13(14)

Shaheen Afridi to Pollard, THATS OUT!! Caught!!

Shaheen Afridi to Pollard, 2 runs, yorker cramping him for room, Pollard manages to flick it over mid-wicket, protection in the deep

20 off 6 balls. Doable. Again if Pakistan nail three slower balls, then this is theirs. You can expect the bowler to miss the yorker at full pace under pressure. Pollard changes bat again

Hasan Ali to Pollard, 1 run, Pollard swings and gets an inside edge onto pad, rolls to mid-on and he calls for a single. Pooran wanted to keep strike

Jamaal Jaani: WI off to 5th gear !!!

Hasan Ali to Pollard, no run, there you go! Slow, short, into the wicket and Pollard misses the pull shot. Played way too early and got hit on the body. Just 110kph, that's the key! Have they let West Indies back in? Crucial final ball coming up

Hasan Ali to Pooran, 1 run, driven to long-on

Hasan Ali to Pooran, SIX, stunning! Stunning is the word. Hasan Ali went for the yorker, almost a yorker, but Pooran stayed deep in the crease, bent his knees to get the under the ball and used his wrists so brilliantly to get under the ball and muscle it straight down the ground for a 28-ball fifty. Why are you offering pace on the ball on a slow pitch, Pakistan?