WINDIES Women won early but Pakistan won when it counted, taking the three-match series 2-1 at the ICC Academy Ground in Dubai on Monday.

Set 160 to win, Pakistan battled to 163 for 6 off 47.2 overs to win by four wickets.

Winning the toss and opting to bat, the Windies Women were in immediate trouble when, with her third ball, Diana Baig bowled Kycia Knight for a duck with only one run on the board.

Following Knight’s departure, Deandra Dottin, the hero of the first ODI, and Captain Stafanie Taylor attempted to restore order.

Dottin was again in exceptional form stroking the ball confidently and threatening to reproduce the form that saw her score a match-winning 96 during the first ODI.

The highlight of her inning was a straight six smashed back over the bowler’s head and into the flagpole in the distance. However, in the eighth over, she attempted a non-existent single from the non-striker’s end and run out for 28.

It was then 35 for 2.

Shemaine Campbell joined Taylor at the crease and like the previous partnership, the pair was quick between the wickets, taking the singles and twos and building momentum towards what they hoped would be a formidable total.

By 15 overs, the Windies were 75 for 2, with a strong total looking distinctly possible.

However, with the score on 87 in the 20th over, things started to go awry. Campbelle was stumped after needlessly charging down the pitch to Nashra Sandhu. She made 26 but her dismissal stalled the Windies and triggered a mini-collapse that saw the Caribbean side slump to 116 for 6 in the 33rd over.

Taylor, meanwhile, went on to score her 34th half-century, but under pressure to push the score along, got a top edge from an attempted pull and was caught and bowled by Baig for 52.

Afy Fletcher, who remained unbeaten at the end on 21, was the only other Windies batter to reach double figures as the Windies Women slumped to 159 all out in 47.4 overs.

Nashra Sandhu was the best of the Pakistan bowlers, taking 3 for 21 while Baig bagged 3 for 42.

Chasing a manageable total, Sidra Amin frustrated the Windies bowlers taking singles and twos with regularity.

However, tight bowling from Taylor and debutant Karishma Ramharack, helped the Windies Women make a match of it.

The pressure caused Pakistan to lose their nerve in the last 15 overs when they lost the wickets of Amin for 52, Nida Dar for 26 and Aliya Riaz for 5 in quick succession to give the Windies a look in.

They had a chance to get another wicket and possibly swing the match completely when new batter Kianat Imtiaz came to the crease but she was was dropped by Taylor at first slip.

Sana Mir eventually hit the winning runs, a boundary off Dottin, to win the match and the series.

Taylor led the bowling for the Windies Women with 2 for 17 while Shakera Selman returned figures of 2 for 24.

 Amin, the Player of the Match, was named the Pakistan Player of the Series, while Taylor was the WINDIES Player of the Series for her 158 runs and three wickets.

The win means that Pakistan moves ahead of the Windies Women in the ICC Women’s Championship Table to fourth with 12 points. The Windies Women with 11 points fall to fifth, one point ahead of England.