PAKISTAN v WEST INDIES 1986-87

At Karachi, November 20, 21, 22, 24, 25. Drawn. Stubborn defence by Imran Khan and Tauseef Ahmed throughout the last session of the match was rewarded when bad light brought the match to an end with nine overs still to be bowled. For Pakistan, it had been a grim, day-long struggle to prevent West Indies from winning their eighth consecutive series.

Richards, having won the toss, played his most authoritative innings of the tour, batting without unnecessary flourish for two and threequarter hours to provide stability to the middle order. Next morning, however, West Indies' last three wickets fell in 40 minutes, and when Pakistan's openers also went quickly, Ramiz Raja settled in for a war of attrition, concentrating on tenure and not allowing himself to be rattled by Miandad's run-out after they had put on 111 for the third wicket. Ramiz's 50, in 317 minutes, was the third-slowest in Test matches after T. E. Bailey's in 357 minutes against Australia at Brisbane in 1958-59 and C. J. Tavaré's in 352 minutes against Pakistan at Lord's in 1982; in all, he batted for 408 minutes. With Yousuf again providing valuable runs, Pakistan conceded only 1 run on the first innings, but they conceded the initiative to West Indies by giving lives to Greenidge (second ball), Haynes and Richardson before the end of the third day.

Imran, troubled by a stomach upset that afternoon, resumed fully fit after the rest day and in the late afternoon produced an outstanding display of fast bowling, twice taking two wickets with consecutive balls in a spell of five for 10 in six overs. Only Haynes held on, becoming the third West Indian to carry his bat through a Test innings. Pakistan, needing 213 to win, were left with five overs to negotiate before the close: time enough for West Indies to capture two wickets and put them on the defensive. Marshall then struck twice in the morning, dismissing Mohsin and Miandad, but once again Ramiz stood firm, batting another 236 minutes for 29. Mudassar, too, was obdurate, but a score of 97 for seven at tea favoured a West Indies win. Instead, Imran and Tauseef, last-wicket heroes in the first Test, took the match, and the series, to a draw. Imran, whose 34th birthday it was, received the Man of the Match award.

Close of play: First day, West Indies 212-7 (R. A. Harper 6*, C. G. Butts 1*); Second day, Pakistan 157-4 (Ramiz Raja 42*, Asif Mujtaba 6*); Third day, West Indies 84-1 (D. L. Haynes 46*, R. B. Richardson 21*); Fourth day, Pakistan 16-2 (Mohsin Khan 4*).