Pakistan‘s hopes of beginning their Test series against the West Indies on a winning note were dashed after a disappointing 90-run defeat in the opening match at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy on July 28. Chasing a modest target of 211, the visitors suffered a dramatic batting collapse and were bundled out for just 120, extending their away Test losing streak to eight matches.
Captain Babar Azam stood tall with an unbeaten 58, but his lone effort was not enough as Jayden Seales ripped through the batting order with remarkable figures of 5/20. Earlier, Pakistan had impressed with the ball, led by Mohammad Abbas‘ brilliant 5/22, but they failed to capitalize on several key moments that ultimately shifted the match in West Indies’ favour.
Sarfaraz Ahmed opens up on Pakistan’s defeat
Pakistan red-ball head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed did not hide his disappointment after the defeat, admitting that his team’s batting once again failed to deliver when it mattered the most.
Speaking after the match, Sarfaraz highlighted Pakistan’s recurring struggles in the second innings, saying the inability to build on promising starts has become a worrying trend. He believed the visitors missed a golden opportunity to take control of the contest by failing to secure a first-innings lead despite putting themselves in a strong position.
The former Pakistan captain singled out opener Imam-ul-Haq, praising his positive approach but insisting that greater patience could have changed the course of the match.
“We were disappointed with our batting. Too often our batting line-up has failed in the second innings. We should have taken a first-innings lead. Imam-ul-Haq was batting well, and had he shown a little more patience, we could have secured that lead,” Sarfaraz said.
Pakistan eventually paid the price for their batting struggles, with only Babar and Abbas offering any resistance during the fourth-innings chase.
Lower-order partnership changed the course of the match
Apart from the batting collapse, Sarfaraz also pointed to West Indies’ resilient lower order as another defining factor behind Pakistan’s defeat. The head coach believed Pakistan allowed the hosts back into the contest by conceding a valuable 61-run partnership for the eighth wicket during the third day of the Test. According to him, those additional runs proved decisive in a low-scoring contest where every run carried extra significance.
“West Indies should not have been allowed to add 61 runs for the eighth wicket on the third day. That partnership should not have happened,” he remarked.
Sarfaraz also defended the team’s selection strategy, explaining that Pakistan had correctly assessed the conditions before the match. With the pitch expected to assist the seamers, the management opted to field five specialist bowlers, a decision he believes was justified by the way the surface behaved throughout the Test.
“The pitch was offering assistance to the fast bowlers. We read the conditions correctly, which is why we went into the match with five bowlers,” he added.
Pakistan eye comeback in series-deciding Test
Despite the disappointing result, Sarfaraz remains confident that Pakistan can bounce back and level the two-match series when the teams meet again at Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain from August 2. The head coach confirmed that Saud Shakeel and Abdullah Shafique are both available for selection, although he indicated that the final playing XI would depend on the conditions at the venue.
“We are hopeful of making a comeback in the second Test. Saud Shakeel and Abdullah Shafique are available for selection, but the final decision will depend on the conditions,” Sarfaraz concluded.
