Pakistan edged past the West Indies by two wickets in a dramatic ninth match of the Continental Cup 2026 at the Brian Lara Stadium on September 3, 2026. Chasing 124 for victory, Pakistan reached 124 for 8 from their 10 overs, surviving a tense finish after the West Indies had posted 123 for 8. The victory was built around Pakistan’s ability to keep the chase alive despite regular wickets, while Salman Mirza’s outstanding bowling spell had earlier played a major role in restricting the West Indies.

The West Indies innings got off to the worst possible start when Brandon King was dismissed for a duck from the opening ball. Shimron Hetmyer steadied the innings with an aggressive 26 from 16 deliveries, hitting two fours and two sixes, while Nicholas Pooran contributed 6 from five balls. Shai Hope then provided a spectacular burst of scoring, smashing 18 from only five deliveries with three sixes at a remarkable strike rate of 360. However, the West Indies continued to lose wickets, preventing them from building a bigger total.

Romario Shepherd supplied the innings with another powerful injection of runs, hammering 32 from just 12 balls. His five sixes helped push the West Indies beyond the 100-run mark, while Jason Holder finished strongly with an unbeaten 17 from five deliveries, including a four and two sixes. Despite those late contributions, the West Indies ended on 123 for 8, leaving Pakistan with a target of 124.

Pakistan’s bowling was led brilliantly by Salman Mirza, who claimed three wickets for just 10 runs from his two overs. Faheem Ashraf also produced an important two-wicket spell, taking 2 for 24, while Shadab Khan picked up two wickets for 38 runs. Mohammad Wasim added one wicket and conceded 16 runs, helping Pakistan keep the West Indies within reach despite several explosive innings.

Pakistan began the chase positively through Sahibzada Farhan, who struck 15 from seven balls, but his dismissal was followed by the loss of Saim Ayub for 22. Fakhar Zaman then took the attack to the West Indies bowlers, smashing 30 from only 11 deliveries with four sixes and a four. His explosive innings gave Pakistan crucial momentum, although his dismissal left the chase delicately balanced.

Usman Khan added another burst of power with 14 from just four balls at a strike rate of 350, including two sixes, but his run-out became another setback for Pakistan. Shadab Khan was dismissed for 7, leaving Pakistan needing runs with wickets running out. Mohammad Nawaz then played a valuable unbeaten cameo of 11 from five deliveries, while Naseem Shah stayed unbeaten on 3 from two balls to see Pakistan over the line.

The West Indies bowling attack fought hard to defend the modest total. Kyle Mayers was the standout bowler, claiming an excellent 4 for 22 from his two overs. Alzarri Joseph and Jason Holder each took one wicket, while Akeal Hosein also claimed one. Despite Mayers repeatedly striking at crucial moments, Pakistan’s lower order held its nerve to complete the chase on the final score of 124 for 8.

Kyle Mayers was named Man of the Match for his all-round contribution. He scored 6 from just three balls before producing a superb four-wicket spell, finishing with 4 for 22 from two overs. His performance kept the West Indies firmly in contention, although it ultimately could not prevent Pakistan from completing the narrow victory.

Salman Mirza was the IIC MVP of the match with an outstanding 1.44 impact points. His three wickets for only 10 runs were arguably the most influential spell of the contest, helping restrict a West Indies side that had several dangerous hitters in its lineup. For Pakistan, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Wasim also made significant contributions according to the match impact ratings.

The ninth match ultimately delivered exactly the kind of high-pressure finish associated with the shortest format. The West Indies produced explosive cameos through Hope, Shepherd and Holder, while Pakistan answered with attacking contributions from Fakhar, Farhan and Usman before relying on Nawaz and Naseem to complete the job. Pakistan’s two-wicket victory in a match that went down to the final stages keeps their Continental Cup campaign moving forward, while the West Indies will rue their inability to convert several strong individual performances into a winning total.