Pakistan beat a resurgent West Indies by nine runs in the second T20I in Karachi on Tuesday, taking an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Mohammad Rizwan top-scored for a second match running with 38 to help Pakistan get to 172-8 before they restricted the West Indies to 163 all out in 20 overs.

Brendon King hit a fluent 43-ball 67 – his maiden T20I half-century – with three towering sixes and six fours but the Pakistan bowlers were tough to handle for other batters.

Romario Shepherd tried to stop the inevitable with a fiery 19-ball 35* spiced with two sixes and as many fours, but failed to get the required 23 off the last over.

Lanky pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi (3-26), fellow fast bowlers Mohammad Wasim (2-39) and Haris Rauf (2-40) and spinner Mohammad Nawaz (2-36) shared the bowling honours.

With 61 needed off the last five overs, King hoisted pacer Haris Rauf for a big six but fell next ball while attempting another maximum, caught near the long-on boundary.

Nicholas Pooran (26 off as many balls) helped King add 54 for the third wicket, but Nawaz ended the partnership with Pooran holding out in the deep.

Odean Smith hit a six and a four in his short stay of 12 before Shaheen dismissed him off the first ball of the 17th over and then removed Dominic Drakes and Hayden Walsh off successive deliveries.

For Pakistan, Rizwan, Iftikhar Ahmed (32) and Haider Ali (31) got good starts but failed to play a big knock.

Skipper Babar Azam failed yet again, scoring just seven before being run out off a sharp single to backward point.

Fakhar Zaman also flopped for a second match in succession when he was stumped by Pooran off spinner Akeal Hosein for 10 leaving Pakistan on 38-2.

Rizwan, who hit four fours and a six in his 30-ball knock, added 48 for the third wicket with Haider but both fell to medium-pacer Smith, who was the pick of bowlers with 2-24.

Iftikhar Ahmed smashed two sixes and a four in his 19-ball knock while Shadab Khan cracked three sixes and a four in his 12-ball 28*.

Those fiery knocks helped Pakistan get 59 in the last five overs.

The last T20I is on Thursday, also in Karachi.

© Agence France-Presse