Pakistan-West Indies Test record in retrospect

The Pakistan-West Indies three Tests series, due to start from May 5 should be seen in the present perspective as well as past record which is as follows:

Pakistan and the West Indies enjoy cricket relations for the last 52 years. In fact the West Indies has the distinction to be the first international team to visit newly born Pakistan in 1948. In the years to follow the men from the Caribbean have visited Pakistan six times (1959, 1975, 1980-81, 1986-87, 1991 and 1997-98) and the latter has visited West Indies for four trips 1957-58, 1977, 1988 and 1993). The two teams have involved in exciting contests in the 10 rubbers played so far. However, Pakistan has never won a Test series in the West Indies. West Indies record on Pakistan's soil is almost equally dismal, out of their six outings they could only win the 1980-81 series. Pakistan's over all record against the West Indies is quite competitive, since out of 34 Tests played they have won 10 against 12 by their rivals.

Hereunder is a brief account of Pakistan team's previous tours to West Indies.

1958 Pakistan's first visit to West Indies was in 1957-58. Late A.H. Kardar led the team. The series is more remembered for a triple century each scored by both teams, First Hanif Muhammad created a new longest individual innings record (16hrs and 39 minutes) by scoring 337 in the second innings of the first Test at Barbados after Pakistan was enforced to follow on. After this Herculean effort from the little master the match was drawn. To reply to this great feat Sir Garfied Sobers scored 365 not out in West Indies mammoth total of 790 for 3 declared at Kingston Jamaica in the third Test. This remained the highest individual innings until/B.C Lara surpassed the record with 375 at St. Johns against England in 1993-94. West Indies went on to win the Test series by 3-1 but not before the visitors clinched the fifth and final Test at Port of Spain by an innings margin.

1977 After a gap of 20 years Pakistan paid the next trip to the West Indies in 1977. Mushtaque Muhammad led the team. Fresh from their creditable performance in Australia, the visitors narrowly lost the rubber by 1-2. With Sarfaraz Nawaz, Saleem Altaf and Imran Khan bowling exceedingly well and on the top, the West Indies were back to the wall in the first Test at Barbados and very nearly had lost it when 54 runs still in arrears they were 251 for 9 the match ended in a draw. West Indies won the second and the third was drawn. Superb performance by their skipper in the fourth Test levelled the series for Pakistan, but the West Indies outplayed Pakistan to win the fifth Test and the series. For Pakistan Majid Khan and Wasim Raja scored above 500 runs and Imran Khan claimed 25 wickets in the series.

1988 Pakistan revisited West Indies after 11 long years, in 1988. Persuaded by late President General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, Imran Khan came out of retirement and led Pakistan in a series where West Indies were forced all the time on the back foot. Pakistan convincingly won the first Test at Georgetown (Guyana) by 9 wickets, and had they a little luck and applied themselves they could have gotten them through in the second as well, but eventually the West Indies won a tense battle in the final Test by two wickets to level the series. Thanks to the ninth wickets pair Jeffrey Dujon and Winston Benjamin. Imran Khan was named player of the series for his captaincy and bowling that brought him 23 wickets in the three Tests.

1993 Pakistan's last visit to West Indies was in 1993. Wasim Akram led Pakistan. At one time after the visitors routed the home team for 127 in the first innings of the first Test at Port of Spain, it appeared that Pakistan might win the Test. Unfortunately the opportunity was soon lost. Poor performance of her batsmen titled the match around in West Indies favour, which they won by a wide margin of 204 runs. Pakistan again could not stand to the pace of Walsh, Ambrose and Benjamin and lost the second Test at Bridgetown by 10 wickets. In the third drawn Test at St. Johns. Inzamamul Haq steered Pakistan to safety with a defiant knock of 123.

Current Series Comparatively stronger in overall strength Pakistan stands a good chance to win the first ever Test series in the West Indies on the current tour especially after the former's victory in the tri-national tournament.