Spin Magic Powers West Indies to Break Historic Test Drought
A 34-year-old curse is finally over. The West Indies stunned Pakistan with a crushing 120-run victory in Multan, leveling their two-match Test series and grabbing their first win in Pakistan since 1991. This wasn’t just a rare overseas triumph—it was a performance that blended grit, smart cricket, and a little bit of history-making magic from the Caribbean bowlers.
The win didn’t just add a wrinkle to the ICC World Test Championship table—it sent a message. In a country where visiting teams usually shuffle quietly back home with little to celebrate, West Indies’ spinners stepped up in spectacular style.
How West Indies Out-Spun the Hosts
The pitch at Multan always promised turn, but West Indies’ trio of left-arm spinners took full advantage, out-bowling their Pakistani counterparts on a surface that should’ve given the home team a big edge.
- Jomel Warrican was the main destroyer, grabbing 5 wickets for 51 in the second innings and finishing with 9 for 70 across the match. He set the tone, beating the bat with classic flight and then nailing Sajid Khan with a skidding arm ball that clattered the stumps.
- Kevin Sinclair and Gudakesh Motie weren’t far behind. Together, they picked up 8 wickets in the second innings. Their ability to bowl with patience—not just ripping the ball, but attacking the stumps with clever variations—kept Pakistan pinned down, forcing mistakes one after another.
By the end, Pakistan’s batters looked lost. From 44 overs, they managed just 133 runs, collapsing under the pressure. Gone were the big partnerships or a fighting stand. The hosts lost six wickets in the space of two sessions, unable to read either the turn or the mindset of the bowlers.
Meanwhile, the visitors’ batters did just enough. Kraigg Brathwaite’s resilient 55 in the first innings set the platform, while the lower order chipped in each time Pakistan threatened to run through them. Over the two innings, every run made by the tail mattered, a rare sign of depth from a West Indies side used to living on a knife edge away from home.
On top of it all, the series saw an avalanche of 69 wickets fall to spinners, breaking the record from the 2021 Sri Lanka-West Indies bouts. It was a spinner’s paradise, but only one team fully cashed in.
For Pakistan, the defeat stung. Their top order failed to resist, playing loose shots and defending with uncertainty. The pressure brought about misjudgments, and without anyone to anchor the innings, a quick collapse was inevitable. The hosts’ reliance on individual flashes of brilliance instead of team effort showed up sharply here.
What does this mean looking forward, especially for the World Test Championship? With the series drawn, Bangladesh fans got a bonus—moving ahead of both Pakistan and West Indies on the table. As for the Caribbean side, this Test will be remembered for more than just the result. They proved they can win in South Asia not by brute force, but by careful planning and teamwork, especially from their spin department.
Cricket fans who tuned in for this match saw history being made, and perhaps even the start of a new chapter for West Indies Test cricket, built not just around fast bowlers, but the art and persistence of spin.