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LAUDERHILL: Mohammad Nawaz took three wickets in an over to propel Pakistan to a 14-run win over West Indies in the series-opening Twenty20 cricket international Thursday in Florida.

Pakistan was sent in to bat and posted 178 for six, led by Saim Ayub’s 57 from 38 deliveries.

Debate about that being above or below a par target at this venue was partially answered when West Indies openers Johnson Charles and 18-year-old Jewel Andrew, making his T20 international debut, scored at just over six an over to the halfway point in reply.

After conceding 20 runs in his first three overs, left-arm spinner Nawaz dramatically shifted the contest.

He started the 12th over with a breakthrough to dismiss Andrew for 35 and end a 72-run opening stand, and he added the wickets of Charles (35) and Gudakesh Motie (0) on the fourth and fifth balls as the West Indies slumped to 75-3.

Skipper Shai Hope (2) scooped a full delivery from Ayub into the deep in the next over as West Indies lost four wickets for five runs.

Ayub, who was voted player of the match for his half-century and bowling return of 2-20, said the pitch was challenging to play on so it was important to building partnerships and not panic.

Some lofty tail-end hitting from Jason Holder, who struck four sixes in his unbeaten, 12-ball 30, and Shamar Joseph, who hit 21 from 12, helped West Indies to 164-7 and made the final margin more respectable.

That lopsided contest ended any chance of the West Indies starting the series against Pakistan on a better footing after comprehensive test and T20 series losses to Australia. The Australians wrapped up a historic 8-0 sweep in the Caribbean earlier in the week.

Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha said his team “started strong and finished even better.”

A total of closer than 200 was in range for Pakistan early when Ayub and Fakhar Zaman (28) shared an 81-run second-wicket stand to get the score up to 107 in the 12th over.

But Holder trapped Ayub lbw for 57, ending a 38-ball innings that contained five boundaries and two sixes to get the vital breakthrough. Recalled fast bowler Shamar Joseph kept the pressure on Pakistan’s batting lineup and returned 3-30 from his four overs.

The second and third T20s will be held in Lauderhill on Saturday and Sunday before an ODI series in the Caribbean.

WASHINGTON: Differences between the US and India cannot be resolved overnight to arrive at a trade deal, a senior US official told reporters late on Thursday, citing geopolitical disagreements.

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday Washington was still negotiating with India on trade after announcing earlier that day the US would impose a 25 percent tariff on goods imported from the country starting on Friday.

The 25 percent figure would single out India more severely than other major trading partners, and threaten to unravel months of talks between the two countries, undermining a strategic partner of Washington’s and a counterbalance to China.

“Our challenges with India, they’ve always been a pretty closed market... there are a host of other kind of geopolitical issues,” the US official said.

“You’ve seen the president express concern about, you know, membership in BRICS, purchases of Russian oil and that kind of thing.”

While saying there were constructive discussions with India, the official added: “These are complex relationships and complex issues, and so I don’t think things can be resolved overnight with India.”

India has faced pressure from the West, including the US, to distance itself from Moscow after Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022. New Delhi resisted that pressure, citing its longstanding ties with Russia and its economic needs.

Trump has cast the BRICS group of developing nations — of which India is a key part — as hostile to the US Those nations have dismissed that accusation and the group says it promotes the interests of its members and of developing countries at large.

Trump has also drawn India’s frustration by repeatedly taking credit for an India-Pakistan ceasefire that he announced on social media on May 10. The ceasefire halted days of hostilities between the nuclear armed Asian neighbors.

India’s position has been that New Delhi and Islamabad must resolve their issues directly without outside involvement.
Trump has reached a trade deal with India’s rival Pakistan.