The most uneventful days often come right after days filled with plenty of drama. For Pakistan, this materialised in Port of Spain. The spinners, who stood as a huge gulf between both sides, drained West Indies of a big chunk of their hope by dismissing six batters on day three, making their day four task fairly easier.
Pakistan’s dominance in the second innings
Pakistan had set a 43-run first-innings lead on the back of a brilliant top-order display, which included an unbeaten 160 by returning Abdullah Shafique and a resilient 88 by captain Babar Azam. The last seven batters, however, could only accumulate 59 runs. Getting quickly through the remaining Pakistan batters, West Indies bowlers would have thought the worst was over. But that was hardly the case.
West Indies had to bat in the last session of day three, but things had taken a turn for the worse right from the start. Besides not opening with usual No. 2 Brandon King, who had sustained a lower back muscle spasm while running Babar Azam out, the surface had started offering plenty of turn for the spinners.
Pakistan seal the win on day four
The fallen six wickets on top of the injured King left West Indies with only three batters to resist on day four. But that resistance lasted only five overs, with Pakistan getting a 75-run target to win the game.
Some hopes rekindled as Imam-ul-Haq went back cheaply, followed by Azan Awais’ early return, but Abdullah Shafique and Babar Azam, the best batters for Pakistan from the first innings, extinguished those as they ended West Indies’ misery shortly after lunch. Babar, under whom Pakistan won their last away Test, struck two sixes off Jomel Warrican to win the game.
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