Daily Times

As expected, keeping in view the strength of the visiting team, Pakistan overwhelmed West Indies by 133 runs on the fifth and final day of the second Test to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. The defeat was West Indies’ 19th in their last 29 Tests since November 2013, having won only four and drawn the remaining six. The visitors’ performance was in total contrast to West Indies of the 1980s, when under Clive Lloyd’s captaincy they were an indomitable force at international level, going undefeated in 27 Tests from January 1982 to December 1984. West Indies now face the prospect of a whitewash in the Tests, with the third and final match starting in Sharjah from Sunday (October 30). They were also routed 3-0 in both the Twenty20 and one-day international series which were played before the Tests.

No doubt, the stars of the match were leg spinner Yasir Shah and batsman Younus Khan. Centurion Younus helped Pakistan pile up a mammoth score of 452 in the first innings, which proved an uphill task for West Indies. The 38-year-old, who missed the 56-run victory in the first Test in Dubai with the illness and was in hospital just last month, smashed 127 to carry Pakistan to the formidable total. Younus gave glimpses of his vintage form as he produced a barrage of exquisite strokes on both sides of the wicket. It was Younus’ 33rd Test hundred and 11th in the United Arab Emirates, where Pakistan have been hosting international fixtures because of security fears at home.

Bowling nearly unchanged from the start of the day’s play, Yasir produced a legspin masterclass on a flat, slow fifth-day pitch to bowl Pakistan to clinical victory. There was no alarming turn available to Yasir, and hardly any instances of uncertain bounce; he had to draw on all his stamina, skill and intelligence to pick up his eighth five-wicket haul and second ten-wicket match haul in 18 Tests. Yasir now has 112 wickets in Tests. He has joined George Lohmann and Sydney Barnes as the bowlers with the most wickets after their first 18 matches. Yasir has also become the second player to take over 50 Test wickets in the UAE, after his compatriot Saeed Ajmal. Yasir bowled 21 of Pakistan’s 46 overs on day five as they bowled West Indies out for 322, chasing an improbable 456, an hour and 15 minutes after lunch. Yasir took all three wickets that fell in the morning session, and later, along with Zulfiqar Babar, he took out the last three wickets in the space of four overs. The Test was a tale of two precocious talents producing moments of brilliance.

Skipper Misbahul Haq, who equalled the legendary Imran Khan’s record of most Tests as captain with 48, must be on cloud nine with his team’s progress. Misbah now has 23 wins to Imran’s 14. With the victory, Misbah has also 10 series wins under his belt as captain in Tests – most by an Asian captain. He went past India’s Sourav Ganguly and MS Dhoni, who registered nine series wins. For Pakistan, Javed Miandad won eight series. Pakistan are number two in the Test rankings behind India, while West Indies are eighth, ahead only of Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. At the same time, it is also a bit disappointing to witness West Indies’ as a below strength team in international arena. The tourists are a young side with some players performing well in bits and pieces at the moment. Everyone wants to see a strong West Indies side like they had in the past. Right now it’s really a big disappointing factor for all of their fans. Jason Holder has now faced eight defeats in 11 Tests as West Indies captain. West Indies though lost both Tests but still fought hard in both the matches, batting for 109 and 108 overs respectively in the fourth innings of the two Tests. The gradual decline of West Indies over the years and their inter-island politics and rivalry has not left them in a good health.