Babar Azam Ecstatic As Pakistan Jump To Eighth Spot In WTC Standings With Win Over West Indies
Pakistan captain Babar Azam was delighted after leading his team to a resounding eight-wicket victory over the West Indies in Trinidad, a win that ended a three-year away Test drought.
Pakistan captain Babar Azam was delighted after leading his team to a resounding eight-wicket victory over the West Indies in Trinidad, a win that ended a three-year away Test drought and helped them jump to eighth position in the World Test Championship (WTC) standings. Chasing a modest target of 75 early on day four of the second Test, Babar fittingly sealed the victory by launching spinner Jomel Warrican for back-to-back sixes and helping Pakistan draw the two-match series 1-1 at the Queen's Park Oval.
The triumph marks Pakistan's first Test win on foreign soil since July 2023. More importantly, the points earned from the victory allowed the visitors to leapfrog the West Indies in the WTC standings ahead of their upcoming Test assignment against England.
Pakistan's victory was set up by Abdullah Shafique's magnificent unbeaten first-innings century and supported by Babar's own solid contribution with the bat. The management's tactical decision to drop senior quick Mohammad Abbas for an extra spinner also proved decisive, as Ali Usman and Sajid Khan bagged four wickets each in the West Indies' second innings.
"When we saw the pitch, it looked more similar to those in Pakistan. We decided to play an additional spinner and it had an impact on our combination, because of which we had to leave out some of our senior players.
"Obviously, you are satisfied when you win, but most important for us was the way we executed our plans. The way Abdullah (Shafique) played in the first innings and the way the spinners bowled in the second innings really made the difference," Babar was quoted as saying by the ICC at the end of the series.
Player of the Match Shafique, who was only added to the touring party as a late replacement for the injured Abdullah Fazal, expressed his joy at seizing the opportunity with both hands.
"This felt like a debut match for me, it was really unexpected. I haven't been able to get opportunities recently, but as a professional, you have to work towards a comeback and give your best," he said.
Pakistan will next travel to England for a three-match Test series, starting at Headingley on August 19, followed by matches at Lord's (August 27-31) and Edgbaston (September 9-13).
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistan Cricket Team
West Indies Cricket Team
Babar Azam