Pakistan Squad: Abdur Rehman, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Hammad Azam, Junaid Khan, Misbah-ul Haq (c), Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Salman (wk), Saeed Ajmal, Tanvir Ahmed, Taufeeq Umar, Umar Akmal, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, Younis Khan.
West Indies Squad: Brendan Nash, Carlton Baugh (wk), Darren Bravo, Darren Sammy (c), Devendra Bishoo, Devon Smith, Fidel Edwards, Kemar Roach, Lendl Simmons, Marlon Samuels, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Ravi Rampaul, S Chanderpaul.
Preview:
Call it a batting failure, home team bowling better than Pakistan or minefield of a pitch that batsmen from either side could master, end result would have pleased fans across the Caribbean Islands. At last, a test win over a side other than Bangladesh courtesy a disciplined bowling effort and well aided by mindless batting from the opposition batsmen.
Under fire skipper Darren Sammy led from the front to fizzle out Pakistan challenge with a five wicket haul in the fourth innings. He didn’t do anything fancy, just landed the ball on the right spot and let the pitch do the rest. Sammy heroics were well complemented by his debutant Devendra Bishoo and fast bowler Ravi Rampaul to fashion out a welcome victory in what was a gripping test.
Despite their batsmen not coming to the grips, home team kept the pressure on Pakistan not letting them to dominate the proceedings one bit. The difference between the two sides was the fact that home team could make most of the slowish pitch, fast bowlers bowling more straightish length than their Pakistan counterparts yielding results in their favour. In batting senior batsman Shiv Chanderpaul after left out of ODI series was amongst the runs and emerging Lendl Simmons had a good outing also but rest of them had no clue to the variations, doosras in particular, of off-spinner Saeed Ajmal.
Not only should the win be a morale boosting one for embattled that has hardly won anything in the longer format for last three years or so, it will also make Sammy, who has been under quash ever since his appointment as West Indies skipper, a better leader. All these things augur well for the overall setup of the team and fans would be hoping win at Guyana signals good things for West Indian cricket.
The real challenge for the home team lies to live up to the favourites tag that they go into the second with their opponents, not different to them in many ways, Pakistan have problems of plenty on their plate.
For Pakistan, yet another batting failure came to haunt their prospects of doing well on the foreign pitches. Despite back to back spell from Ajmal, batsmen let their side down leading to one of the Pakistan’s worst defeats in the recent times to a side that, at best, was expected to give them a good fight.
What led to the downfall of most of the Pakistan batters was their preference to play with the pads rather than with the bat on a pitch that had a variable bounce. Like in the past, good starts were squandered to some ugly shots reinforcing the belief that Pakistan is one of the weakest batting sides in the world. Also, Pakistan were unable to seize the key moments in the game which their opponents did so well.
With chance for a maiden test series win lost thanks to a loss in first test, Pakistan sole aim will be to square the series and save themselves from further embarrassment. To make it a reality, runs have to come from somewhere and senior batsmen Mohammad Hafeez and skipper Misbah-ul Haq himself need to mentor young batting brigade. Fielding needs an improvement as well and close catching fielders have to be on toes to make look Ajmal and co. more effective.Misbah would be buoyed by the latest development with Pakistan Cricket Board handing him ODI captaincy as well after relegating controversial Shahid Afridi from the post. This should add extra spring to Misbah’s captaincy which wasn’t at its best last test.
Having said that, it is a well known fact that Pakistan play their best cricket when their backs are against the wall. For this particular reason, West Indies should be ready for Pakistan backlash.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
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