![Abdullah Shafique and Babar Azam [Source: AFP]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1786007187560_AbdullahShafiqueandBabarAzam(1).jpg?type=hq)
Abdullah Shafique and Babar Azam [Source: AFP]
Pakistan, led by Captain Babar Azam, entered the Caribbean carrying the burden of three difficult years in red-ball cricket. Since their last away Test victory in Sri Lanka back in 2023, Pakistan had lost eight consecutive away Tests while finishing at the bottom of the World Test Championship standings.
While Babar Azam's reinstated stature as Pakistan captain was set to bring stability back to the team, the Men in Green started off with a familiar collapse as Pakistan lost by 90 runs in the first Test at Tarouba.
The second Test at Queen's Park Oval hence became more than just a series decider, as it was a chance to prove that Pakistan were capable of bouncing back from their mistakes instead of repeating them.
The visitors produced an emphatic eight-wicket victory in the second Test to level the series and avoided their first Test series defeat against the West Indies since 2000.
1. Reading The Pitch Perfectly And Changing Their Entire Bowling Plan
It was not a surprise that the Men in Green arrived in the Caribbean expecting pace-friendly conditions. They packed their squad with five pace bowlers and only two specialist spinners. While the opening Test largely reflected those expectations, Queen's Park Oval presented an entirely different challenge.
Hence, rather than sticking to their original plan, Pakistan completely changed their strategy by leaving out fast bowlers Muhammad Abbas and Khurram Shahzad, and roped in Sajid Khan and left-arm spinner Ali Usman to partner Mohammad Ali for the second Test.
As the surface slowly deteriorated, both spinners extracted increasing turn, with Sajid Khan finishing with eight wickets in the match while Ali Usman claimed six, accounting for a total of 14 of West Indies' 19 wickets in the match.
Hence, Pakistan got the best out of the conditions by identifying them early, which they had often failed to do during previous overseas tours.
2. Learning From The Batting Collapse In The First Test
Pakistan's batting suffered a horrible collapse in Tarouba. After requiring just 211 runs to win, the Men in Green collapsed for just 120, exposing the middle-order weakness that had haunted them throughout recent years.
Recognising that the second Test would revolve around spin, the batters prepared more against spinners and slow bowling before the match, and performed accordingly. A collapse threatened after Babar Azam's run-out in the first innings.
However, Pakistan had already built a strong base through their top order. In the second innings, while chasing 75 on a deteriorating pitch, there wasn't any panic after losing two early wickets.
Abdullah Shafique, who made a dream comeback with his unbeaten 160, calmly absorbed the pressure with Babar before finishing the chase without allowing the Windies any other opportunity.
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3. Abdullah Shafique's Return Solved Pakistan's Biggest Batting Problem
Abdullah Shafique became probably one of the biggest turning points for the Pakistan cricket team on this tour. His selection was the most important piece of the puzzle that the PCB had to place. Playing his first Test since October 2025, Shafique replaced the injured Shan Masood and immediately delivered one of the finest innings by a Pakistani batter in recent years.
His 160 from 323 deliveries was an innings of patience, discipline, and excellent shot selection, which restored stability at the top.
More importantly, Pakistan's batting over the past three years had often depended on individual brilliance after early collapses, and Shafique changed that pattern by occupying the crease for long periods, wearing down the West Indies bowlers, and allowing the middle order to settle.
He paired with Babar for a 183-run partnership, which became the defining stand of the match. Ultimately, Pakistan secured a first-innings lead of 43 runs, which proved decisive in a low-scoring contest.
4. Pakistan Finally Played Situation-Based Cricket
One of the biggest differences between this Pakistan side and the one that lost eight consecutive away Tests was the decision-making. The team combination reflected the pitch rather than preconceived plans, the batting preparation reflected the lessons from the first Test, and the bowling rotations adapted as the surface changed.
Even while chasing, Pakistan recognized that preserving wickets mattered more than chasing runs. This became even more highlighted because, for years, the team had often appeared reactive overseas, constantly trying to recover after making poor decisions.
However, in Port of Spain, they remained one step ahead. Hence, the victory was not because of just one individual performance, but rather the result of several smaller decisions and a collective team effort that produced brilliance from the Men in Green.
5. Babar Azam, As Pakistan Test Captain
Finally, it was Babar Azam's stint as Test captain that scripted the turnaround for Pakistan. Babar, who was reinstated as the leader, got himself in the right places. The defeat in the opening Test could easily have made Pakistan take emotional decisions.
However, Babar backed logical ones. Trusting conditions rather than reputations, Babar kept attacking fields around the bat for Sajid Khan and Ali Usman, made the right selection choices in the playing XI, and his field placements consistently rewarded accurate bowling, especially during the decisive spell late on the third evening that shifted the momentum towards Pakistan.
In the chase too, on a surface where batting became increasingly difficult, Pakistan resisted the temptation to force the scoring. Babar Azam allowed the target to come naturally while trickling down the runs, before finishing the match with commanding, towering sixes.
Hence, rather than trying to produce something extraordinary, Babar ensured that Pakistan stuck to the basics, a formula that had long been lost from their Test cricket in recent years under Shan Masood.
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