Shafique's Marathon 160 Levels the Series: Pakistan Beat West Indies in the Queen's Park Oval Decider

Shafique's Marathon 160 Levels the Series: Pakistan Beat West Indies in the Queen's Park Oval Decider

By Cricket Daily

Pakistan have struck back. Trailing the series and under pressure, they produced their best cricket of the tour to beat West Indies by 8 wickets in the second and final Test at the Queen's Park Oval in Port of Spain, squaring the two-match series at 1-1. At the heart of it was a monumental unbeaten 160 from Abdullah Shafique, the innings that shaped the entire match.

If you followed the first Test, you will know how much this result means. West Indies had won the opener in Tarouba by 90 runs, defending a low total in dramatic fashion. So Pakistan arrived at this decider a game down, needing a win just to avoid a series defeat. They delivered, and they did it convincingly.

What "levelling the series" means

A quick note for anyone newer to the format. This was a two-match Test series, so the trophy is decided across both games. West Indies won the first, which put them 1-0 ahead. By winning this second Test, Pakistan made it 1-1, which means the series finished level with the honours shared. Neither side lost, and neither side won overall, but the momentum swing sits firmly with Pakistan.

West Indies build a platform, then wobble

West Indies won the toss and batted first, and for long stretches of day one they looked in control. They were eventually bowled out for 344, a competitive first-innings total built around two determined efforts in the middle order.

All-rounder Justin Greaves top-scored with a patient 73, and captain Roston Chase made 70. The pair came together with West Indies wobbling at 173 for 5 and added 96 for the sixth wicket, the stand that gave the innings its backbone. Opener Brandon King had earlier struck a brisk 46, and Shai Hope chipped in with 29.

There were also 35 extras, a generous chunk of runs that flattered the total slightly.

For Pakistan, the wickets were shared. Off-spinner Sajid Khan was the pick with 4 for 85 from nearly 33 overs, while Mohammad Ali, Ubaid Shah and the impressive

Ali Usman took two apiece. It was disciplined, patient bowling on a slow surface, and it kept West Indies to a run rate of just over three an over.

Abdullah Shafique produces the innings of the match

Pakistan's reply is where the Test was won, and it belonged almost entirely to Abdullah Shafique.

Coming in early with the score at 34 for 1, Shafique batted for the rest of the innings and finished unbeaten on 160 from 323 balls, with 15 fours and 3 sixes. That is close to seven hours at the crease. He was the last man standing when Pakistan were bowled out for 387, which meant he was there for every one of the nine wickets that fell around him. In a low, grinding game, an innings of that length and control is worth its weight in gold.

He was not alone in the biggest partnership of the match. Captain Babar Azam joined him with Pakistan still behind and the two added 183 for the third wicket, a stand that swung the balance of the game. Babar looked set for a hundred of his own before he was run out for 88, a soft way to go after such important work. Opener Azan Awais had earlier made a busy 55.

The one blot for Pakistan was a mini collapse once Babar fell. From a commanding 281 for 3 they lost their way, and the reason was West Indies left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican, who bowled a marathon spell to finish with 6 for 112 from 46 overs. Shamar Joseph took 2 for 84. But Shafique simply refused to go, farming the strike and shepherding the tail, and Pakistan reached 387. That gave them a first-innings lead of 43 runs, the advantage of batting first in the game's arithmetic, and crucially the confidence that came with it.

West Indies collapse and hand Pakistan the game

If the first three innings were slow and attritional, the fourth was a landslide. West Indies, only 43 behind, needed to bat long and set Pakistan a challenging target. Instead they fell apart, bowled out for just 117 in their second innings.

Pakistan's spinners ran through them. Sajid Khan and Ali Usman took four wickets each, Sajid finishing with 4 for 32 and Usman with 4 for 39, and between them they left West Indies with no answers. Kavem Hodge top-scored with 34 and captain Chase made 17, but nobody could build the kind of stand that had steadied the first innings. Opener Brandon King was unable to bat in the second innings, listed as absent hurt, which only added to the hosts' problems.

That collapse meant West Indies had set Pakistan a target of just 75 to win the match and level the series.

Pakistan finish the job in style

Seventy-five was never going to be a serious test, and Pakistan knocked it off for the loss of two wickets, reaching 77 for 2 to win by 8 wickets. Winning "by 8 wickets" simply means they completed the chase with eight of their ten wickets still in hand, a comfortable margin.

Fittingly, the two men who had built the first innings were together at the end. Shafique finished 24 not out, and captain Babar Azam made an unbeaten 24 of his own, closing the match with a couple of sixes to send Pakistan's fans home happy. It was a calm, clinical finish to a hard-fought win.

The awards and what they say about the series

Abdullah Shafique was named player of the match, an easy call after his first-innings 160 and his unbeaten cameo in the chase. He was, quite simply, the difference between the two teams.

The player of the series award was shared, a fair reflection of a closely fought contest. West Indies all-rounder Justin Greaves, superb across both Tests with bat and ball, took the honour alongside Pakistan captain Babar Azam, whose runs and leadership were central to the fightback.

What it means

For West Indies, there will be frustration at letting a 1-0 lead slip, and in particular at two batting collapses in this final Test that undid their good early work. For Pakistan, this is a significant tonic. After losing the opener, bouncing back to win the decider shows real character from a Test side that has been under scrutiny, and it gives their new-look setup something to build on.

The timing matters too. Pakistan head almost straight into a demanding three-Test tour of England, and drawing a series in the Caribbean, capped by a dominant win, is exactly the kind of momentum a touring side wants in its pocket. Shafique's marathon and a rediscovered spin attack are the two big positives they will carry with them.

Stay with Cricket Daily for full coverage of Pakistan's tour of England and all the latest from the world of Test cricket.

The match at a glance

West Indies 344 (Justin Greaves 73, Roston Chase 70, Brandon King 46; Sajid Khan 4-85) and 117 (Kavem Hodge 34; Sajid Khan 4-32, Ali Usman 4-39)

Pakistan 387 (Abdullah Shafique 160 not out, Babar Azam 88, Azan Awais 55; Jomel Warrican 6-112) and 77-2 (Babar Azam 24 not out, Abdullah Shafique 24 not out)

Result: Pakistan won by 8 wickets. Series drawn 1-1. Player of the match: Abdullah Shafique. Players of the series: Justin Greaves and Babar Azam.

Full scorecard

West Indies 1st innings: 344 all out (105.4 overs)

Bowling: Mohammad Ali 22-6-67-2, Ubaid Shah 14-1-66-2, Ali Usman 35-9-80-2, Sajid Khan 32.4-4-85-4, Salman Agha 2-0-13-0.

Pakistan 1st innings: 387 all out (115 overs)

Bowling: Kemar Roach 13-1-50-0, Jayden Seales 19-4-55-1, Jomel Warrican 46-8-112-6, Shamar Joseph 17-0-84-2, Roston Chase 7-0-22-0, Kavem Hodge 13-0-58-0.

West Indies 2nd innings: 117 all out (46.1 overs)

Bowling: Mohammad Ali 11-2-31-1, Ubaid Shah 4-0-13-0, Ali Usman 19.1-4-39-4, Sajid Khan 12-2-32-4.

Pakistan 2nd innings: 77 for 2 (23.3 overs), target 75

Did not bat: Salman Agha, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Awais Zafar, Ali Usman, Sajid Khan, Mohammad Ali, Ubaid Shah.

Bowling: Kemar Roach 2-0-11-0, Jomel Warrican 11.3-4-38-0, Jayden Seales 5-1-9-1, Shamar Joseph 4-1-17-1, Kavem Hodge 1-0-2-0.