The West Indies Men’s Cricket Team thrashed Pakistan by 120 runs in the second and final Test of the series in Multan on Sunday, marking the first time since 1990 that the Men in Maroon have defeated the subcontinental team on home soil in the longest format of the game.
Coming into the contest with their backs against the wall after losing the first Test by 127 runs, it seemed like the Caribbean men were in for another disappointing outing when they were skittled for just 163 in their first innings.
Once again, had it not been for the batting of the Windies’ lower order, the total could have been far worse. Four of the first seven batsmen were dismissed without scoring, making for a horrid scorecard reading. However, some poise from Gudakesh Motie, who played fantastically for his 55, along with further contributions from Kemar Roach (25) and Jomel Warrican (36), helped the team reach beyond 150 runs. Spin once again claimed all 10 wickets during the innings.
West Indies responded well to bowl Pakistan out for just 154 in their conditions. Warrican was the star of the show, taking four crucial wickets for 43 runs. His spin twin, Motie, continued his stellar performance, claiming 3-49, while veteran pacer Kemar Roach took two wickets. For Pakistan, wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan narrowly missed out on a half-century, finishing on 49.
The Windies’ second outing with the bat proved far more fruitful, given the conditions. Captain Kraigg Brathwaite, who had been struggling for form, brought up a much-needed half-century before being stumped by Rizwan. Other handy contributions came from debutant Amir Jangoo, who scored 30, Tevin Imlach (35), Kevin Sinclair (28), and Motie and Warrican, who added 18 runs each. The visitors set a target of 254 for the hosts to chase to win the game and claim the series.
Cometh the hour, cometh Warrican once again, as the Barbadian showcased his prowess with the ball in the final innings. The spinner claimed a five-wicket haul, bringing his tally to nine wickets for the match. Captain Brathwaite bowled only spin during this innings, with Sinclair taking three wickets and Motie claiming two, bowling Pakistan out for just 133 and securing victory for the Men in Maroon. Warrican was named Player of the Match and Player of the Series.
During his post-match interview, Captain Brathwaite commended his team for their approach to adversity in the second Test.
“We haven’t played in Pakistan for a number of years, but we haven’t won here in a while, so to come here and do it as a young group is incredible,” he said. “On this pitch, there’s a ball with your name on it around the corner. We did that with the bat in the second innings, and it was good to see. It was a good experience. When you get on better pitches, you can have a similar mindset and it will help you in the long run.”
Commenting on his performance during the series, Warrican provided insight into his bowling and batting approach.
“I back my game plan. Once the ball is in my zone, I back myself to clear the boundary. I trust my defence as well, and my ability to rotate the strike,” he said. “Just the variation of pace and hitting the same length over and over. Consistency is the key to everything I do.”
The 69 wickets taken by the Pakistan and West Indies spinners across the two Tests in Multan are the most wickets taken by spinners in a two-match men’s Test series, surpassing the tally of 67 by Sri Lanka and West Indies in 2021. Additionally, the total of 1 190 deliveries was tied for the third-fewest balls bowled in a men’s Test since 1910, where all 40 wickets were claimed.
The end of this game also marks the conclusion of the Windies’ World Test Championship campaign for 2023-2025.