Pakistan beats West Indies in the second test match by 109 runs. Pakistan displayed brilliant performances with both bat and ball as batsmen Fawad Alam sets the record of being the quickest Asian to make five test match centuries and bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi achieved his career best 10 wicket haul.
West Indies had won the toss and elected to bowl, taking three quick wickets in the first session to assert pressure on Pakistan. However, Babar Azam’s 158 run partnership with Fawad Alam helped Pakistan set its foundation in the game.
Pakistan set a total score of 309 however West Indies got bowled out on 150 runs thanks to Shaheen Shah’s 6 wickets while Mohammad Abbas also took three crucial wickets. Nkrumah Bonner was the highest scorer for WI in the first innings with a score of 37.
Read more: Fawad-Shaheen century gives Pakistan hope of levelling series
The match was disturbed by rain during the second and third day but even then Pakistan was persistent on winning the match as they set more 176 runs in the second innings. West Indies got bowled out once again on 219 runs making Pakistan the winner of the match by 109 runs.
Shaheen Shah Afridi also became the fourth-youngest pacer to snatch a ten-wicket haul in a Test. In this record, he trails Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Mohammad Zahid. Two pacers younger than him who claimed a ten-wicket Test record are Irfan Pathan and Kagiso Rabada.
Pakistan win by 109 runs and level the series 👏
Shaheen Afridi finishes the match with career-best Test figures of 10/94. #WTC23 | #WIvPAK | https://t.co/MXEhzUVmcv pic.twitter.com/LvHVqPQaMn
— ICC (@ICC) August 24, 2021
Afridi’s 18 wickets in the two Tests also made him prominent with the joint second-most wicket-taker in a two-match Test series, after Saqlain Mushtaq and Mushtaq Ahmed.
With this win, Pakistan continues its streak of not losing against West Indies. Pakistan has not lost a single multi-match bilateral series in any format against the hosts since 2000. Pakistan has played 20 such series since 2000.
Read more: Fawad Alam dethrones Indian player, sets new record
Speaking on the win, Pakistan’s captain Babar Azam said that “It was a great team effort specially after losing quick wickets on day one. Fawad and I managed to fight back through our partnership and then Shaheen Shah bowled outstandingly to put pressure on West Indies. We played according to our plan in the second innings and added quick runs to take advantage of the last session on day 4”.
Pakistan captain @babarazam258 reviews the two-match ICC World Test Championship series #WIvPAK#HarHaalMainCricket | #BackTheBoysInGreen pic.twitter.com/Md6FNWgzld
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) August 24, 2021
The national cricket squad will fly back to Pakistan on the night between Thursday and Friday (August 27). They will travel from Jamaica to Pakistan via London.
Azhar Ali, Yasir Shah, Muhammad Abbas and Naseem Shah will not return home as Yasir and Naseem will travel to Antigua to participate in the Caribbean Premier League, while Abbas and Azhar will stay in London to play county cricket.
Reactions
Pakistan celebrates the monumental win against West Indies as the hashtag #PakvsWI becomes the top trend on Twitter.
Well deserved win 😍 Congratulations Pakistan…❤#WIvsPAK pic.twitter.com/tepVRbw3Zw
— themalikuzair 🍥 (@themark_says) August 25, 2021
Well deserved win
Congratulations Pakistan ♡
Congratulations #ShaheenShahAfridi#WIvsPAK #congratulationspakistan pic.twitter.com/pIlXDx0KjZ— Farhat Aly 🦋🌙 (@farhat_aliii) August 25, 2021
Pakistan Cricket Board also posted pictures of scenes from the dressing room where all players can be seen celebrating the win.
😀#WIvPAK | #HarHaalMainCricket | #BackTheBoysInGreen pic.twitter.com/669Xp6CjFO
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) August 24, 2021
Women’s ODI series
According to reports, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is in talks with Cricket West Indies (CWI) to conduct a women’s ODI series in Pakistan.
“The talks with West Indies board is in final stages — logistics and number of games are being finalized before official confirmation of West Indies women team’s tour to Pakistan,” a source in PCB said.
Pakistan’s women’s home series is scheduled to conclude on October 21 and the team will fly to Zimbabwe during mid-November to play ICC women cricket world qualifiers.