LAHORE, Pakistan, CMC – Teenager Djenaba Joseph carved out an unbeaten fifty to mastermind a successful run chase as West Indies Women-A defeated Pakistan Women-A by three wickets to clinch the three-match 50-over series here Sunday.
Asked to chase a tricky 164 at the Gaddafi Stadium, West Indies got over the line in the 45th over, with the 19-year-old Joseph top-scoring with 51 not out off 84 balls.
Joseph, already with seven senior team appearances under her belt, struck seven fours and anchored key partnerships of 32 for the third wicket with opener Shunelle Sawh (37) and 45 for the seventh wicket with Cherry-Ann Fraser (18).
Earlier, the hosts were dismissed for 162 in the 45th, with Sidra Nawaz (27), Anosha Nasir (23) and Shawaal Zulfiqar (22) all getting starts but failing to carry on.
Seamer Jahzara Claxton, 17, led the Caribbean side’s attack with four for 19 while left-arm spinner Zaida James (2-25) and off-spinner Sheneta Grimmond (2-40) lent support.
Shawaal and Evman Fatima (21) handed Pakistan a solid start as they posted 49 off 56 balls for the first wicket before wickets tumbled.
They perished in successive overs, Claxton ripping through the top order as the hosts lost six wickets for 14 runs in 31 balls, to plunge to 63 for six in the 15th over.
The recovery came courtesy of a 40-run, seventh wicket stand between Sidra and Nasir, and then a 39-run last wicket partnership between Humna Bilal (21 not out) and number 11 Saima Malik (12).
In reply, West Indies Women-A were given a fine start by Sawh who counted half-dozen fours in a 73-ball knock as she put on 53 for the first wicket with Shabika Gajnabi who made 24 from 41 balls with four fours.
Sawh added a further 32 for the third wicket with Joseph before departing at the end of the 30th, her dismissal leading to a collapse which saw the visitors lose four wickets for two runs off 12 balls, to be tottering on 106 for six at the end of the 32nd over.
However, Joseph held her nerve to add a crucial 45 runs for the seventh wicket with Fraser to see off the home side’s challenge.