Pakistan vs West Indies 2nd Test Full Commentary

We are all set for the post-Lunch session to begin. The openers for Pakistan, Imam-ul-Haq and Azan Awais, walk out in the middle. Kemar Roach will bowl the first over for West Indies. It will take a really brave effort from the visitors to get past the Windies first innings total.

... DAY 2, SESSION 2 ...

The stage is set for the afternoon - With the first chapter of this Test match wrapped up, both teams head into the break with plenty to think about over their lunch. West Indies have put a competitive score on the board, and now the pressure shifts entirely onto Pakistan's batting lineup. It promises to be a thrilling afternoon session as the visitors begin their reply on a pitch that still has plenty to offer. Join us post the Lunch Break in a short while...

Pakistan's patience pays off - Even with the home side fighting hard, Pakistan’s bowlers deserve plenty of praise for staying disciplined. They never let West Indies run away with the game, constantly probing with tight lines and relentless composure. Four different bowlers stepped up to claim wickets at key moments, proving that teamwork and persistence were the order of the day to finally wrap up the West Indies innings.

West Indies fight hard to post 344 on the board - West Indies wrapped up a solid first-innings total of 344 right as the players headed in for lunch at Queen's Park Oval. It was a true test of grit and endurance over the last two days. Brandon King set the initial tone with a fiery start, but the real storyline belonged to Justin Greaves and skipper Roston Chase. Their crucial stand rescued the hosts from trouble, while the lower order chipped in with vital runs to build a formidable target.

We are back for the final session on Day 3. It will be a makeshift opening pair for West Indies because of the injury sustained by Brandon King when he ran Babar out. Tagenarine Chanderpaul is joined by Kavem Hodge at the top for West Indies. Mohammad Ali will be bowling the first over of the third innings in total of this contest.

... DAY 3, SESSION 3 ...

Aim ahead - The West Indies will be desperate to wipe out the deficit first and then push into a lead of their own. Beyond that, their immediate focus will be on batting deep and not losing wickets in clusters, because any collapse from here could put them right back under pressure. For Pakistan, the plan is clear, strike early and pick up at least two more wickets before the West Indies overhaul the 43-run gap. If they can do that, they’ll still have a window to keep themselves ahead in the game. But if the hosts get past the deficit and add another 50-odd runs, they’ll head into Day 4 with the momentum firmly in their hands and in a far more commanding position.

Windies fight back amid injury woes - West Indies fought hard on a flattening surface, spearheaded by a sensational bowling performance from Jomel Warrican, who claimed a stellar 6-wicket haul, this happens to be his third 5-wicket haul and all of them have come against Pakistan. Shamar Joseph used his raw pace effectively to pick up 2 wickets, while Jayden Seales chipped in with 1 to help restrict the visitors. However, the hosts' valiant bowling effort has been overshadowed by a severe injury to Brandon King, a costly blemish that has left the home side deeply concerned moving forward in the match, as King did show some form in the first innings and do not forget Justin Greaves is sustaining a groin injury as well.

Dominant partnerships and major milestones - The backbone of Pakistan's commanding total of 387 was a masterful century partnership between Abdullah Shafique and Babar Azam. Abdullah anchored the innings brilliantly to finish unbeaten on a magnificent 160, showing great resolve and flawless composure. He was superbly supported by Babar, who played an equally elegant hand of 88 before falling short of his milestone. Aside from Azan’s brisk opening fifty, lower-order batter Sajid Khan chipped in with a vital, handy contribution, while the rest of the batting order failed to do much damage against the mounting pressuret

Pakistan’s aggressive response - Pakistan mounted a blistering reply to the West Indies' first-innings total of 344, signaling their aggressive intent right from the opening ball. The visitors came out with a clear, positive mindset, scoring at a rapid pace that consistently put the home side’s bowling attack under pressure. Young opener Azan Awais set the tone early with a rapid, fluent 50, ensuring Pakistan seized the momentum immediately and stayed on the front foot throughout the early stages of their innings.

TEA ON DAY 3 - At the stroke of the final wicket of Pakistan, the umpires have called for Tea. Pakistan scored 387 before being bowled out and they now lead by 43 runs.

Mohammad Ali is the last batter in for Pakistan.

Ubaid Shah is the next batter in.

The Pakistan team physio is out in the middle to assist Ali Usman with something troubling him on his right hand. Maybe the impact of the short one from Jayden is what has troubled him.

Welcome back for the final innings. The umpires and the players are out in the middle. Just 75 runs needed to win as Imam-ul-Haq and Azan Awais open up for Pakistan. Kemar Roach will start with the new ball. Let's play...

... FOURTH INNINGS ...

Small but tricky chase ahead - Unable to cope with the spin-heavy onslaught, the West Indies were bundled out for a meager 117 runs. This batting collapse leaves Pakistan with a straightforward target of 75 runs to secure victory. With the pitch offering significant assistance to the bowlers, the visitors will look to apply themselves carefully to cross the finish line.

Spinners Tear Through - The batting collapse was further aggravated by the absence of Brandon King, who did not feature with the bat after sustaining an injury while running out Babar Azam on Day 3. Pakistan's spinners weaponised the tough conditions, tearing through the middle and lower order to claim 8 wickets among them. Mohammad Ali also chipped in with a crucial breakthrough of Justin Greaves to keep the pressure relentless from both ends.

Early promise fades fast - West Indies began their second innings under immense pressure, facing a 43-run deficit on a rapidly deteriorating pitch. Openers gave the hosts a glimmer of hope by putting together a solid 40-run partnership. However, the visitors soon unlocked the batting lineup with a highly disciplined bowling attack. Once the opening stand was broken, the West Indian batters failed to build any other impactful partnerships under the mounting pressure.

Brandon King is unfit to take any more part in the match and is given as absent hurt.

Brandon King will now feature with the bat and that brings this West Indies innings to a close on 117 runs. Pakistan will need 75 to win and level the series.

Jomel Warrican walks out at 10.

Shamar Joseph comes out to bat now.

What's next? Both teams now turn their focus to their next major international assignments. West Indies are set to take on India in an exciting ODI series, starting on September 27 at 8:30 am GMT. Meanwhile, Pakistan will be traveling to face England in a high-stakes Test match, beginning on August 19 at 10 am GMT. Thank you for following our coverage, and make sure to join us again for all the live action. Cheers!

The trophy presentation - That officially brings an end to a hard-fought series, which finishes honors even with a 1-1 draw! Because the series ended leveled, the trophy is shared between both teams. Captain Roston Chase steps up to accept the shared silverware alongside Babar Azam, as both sides join together on the podium for the final photo session.

The skipper of Pakistan - Babar Azam is the Player of the Series as well, along with Justin Greaves. He says that he is satisfied with the result. He adds that he is happy with how the players performed and with how Abdullah Shafique batted. He reckons that this pitch was not like the Pakistan pitch, and that is when they decided to put in an extra spinner in the side.

The skipper of West Indies - Roston Chase says that he is a bit disappointed as they wanted to win this series. He says that they could have gone for an extra spinner, which would have helped them. He reckons that they could have done better with the bat and given their bowlers a better chance to fight. He ends by saying that he is disappointed with the result but he is happy with how the team is doing.

Player of the Series - Justin Greaves and Babar Azam win the joint Player of the Series. Justin Greaves speaks first and says that he is happy with his performance. He adds that the ball was turning and they cannot take anything away from the Pakistan bowlers as they were excellent. He reckons that they struggled with the bat and ends by saying that they want to win more Test matches and give it their all.

Player of the Match - Abdullah Shafique is the Player of the Match for scoring an unbeaten 160 runs in the first innings. He says that this is a special feeling, and he was waiting for his opportunity, and luckily he grabbed it. He says that he wanted to bat for his team, and he gave his best. He reckons that he has good experience but didn't get enough opportunities. He ends by saying that he couldn't get many opportunities and that is not in his hands.

Presentations coming up...

Victory sealed to level the series - Chasing low totals can get tricky, and Jayden Seales gave the Windies a spark by removing Imam-ul-Haq early. Shamar Joseph chipped in later to dismiss Azan Awais, but Abdullah Shafique and Babar Azam absorbed the tight bowling spells and held their nerve. By lunch on Day 4, Pakistan had reached 57/2, sitting just 18 runs away from the finish line. Babar and Shafique wasted no time after lunch, knocking off the remaining runs with supreme composure. The win marked Pakistan’s first Test victory away from home after eight consecutive defeats, wrapping up a memorable comeback to level the series 1-1!

The collapse - Day 4 began with the confirmation that Brandon King would take no further part in the match, handing Pakistan an immediate psychological lift. Spinner Ali Usman ran havoc through the tail, wrapping up the West Indian second innings to set a modest target of just 75 runs. Despite the deck spitting venom and offering massive assistance to the bowlers, the small target was never going to trouble the visitors.

Drama and spin collapse - The game turned on its head on Day 3, starting with Babar Azam getting run out for 88 while attempting a quick single. The crucial wicket came at a massive cost for the hosts, as Brandon King suffered a severe injury during the play and had to be stretchered off the field. A middle-order collapse followed Babar's departure, but a gritty 59-run stand between Sajid Khan and Abdullah Shafique ensured Pakistan gained a vital 43-run lead. Facing a cracked, spin-friendly deck, the West Indies started their second innings solidly with a 40-run opening stand, but Sajid Khan completely ripped through the batting order late in the day.

Pakistan's gritty response - Pakistan launched a resilient reply to the hosts' big total despite losing Imam-ul-Haq early in the innings. Azan Awais kept the scoreboard ticking at a brisk pace to secure a fine half-century. The highlight of their reply was an unbeaten, masterclass knock of 160 from Abdullah Shafique, who looked completely unbothered by the deteriorating pitch conditions. His marathon 183-run partnership with Babar Azam laid the perfect foundation for a strong Pakistani comeback, even as the surface began to show signs of cracking.

Series level at 1-1 - Pakistan clinch victory to level the series, marking their first away Test win after eight consecutive defeats. Opting to bat first, the West Indies defied a challenging, bowler-friendly track to post a massive first-innings total of 344. Brandon King set a positive tone early but fell agonizingly short of a half-century on 46. While Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Kavem Hodge struggled, Amir Jangoo and Shai Hope provided crucial starts before a sensational rescue partnership between Justin Greaves and Roston Chase, who both scored brilliant 70s and guided the hosts to a solid first-innings total.