ST KITTS: Pakistan will be looking to bounce back and level their two-Test series against the West Indies after crashing to a disappointing 40-run defeat in the opening Test in Guyana last week.
Pakistan began the tour as favourites to win their first ever Test series in the Caribbean but flopped miserably in the first match mainly due to a poor showing from their batsmen.
Misbah-ul-Haq, Pakistan’s captain and their most experienced batsman, will be hoping to make amends for that disappointing performance in the second and last Test that gets underway in St Kitts from Friday (tomorrow).
Pakistan carried out a series of training sessions in the lead up to the series finale but were still undecided over the final eleven for the second Test.
Meanwhile, buoyed by Sunday’s win in the first Test, West Indies coach Ottis Gibson says his upbeat side will be looking to sweep the series by winning the second and final Test starting in St Kitts on Friday (tomorrow).
West Indies won their first Test in over two years when they defeated Pakistan by 40 runs at the National Stadium at Providence.
However, Gibson said that though they were now assured of not losing the series, they would not be resting on their laurels.
“The contribution of the whole team, was great. Everybody worked hard and we all stuck together,” he said.
“We won the first match so that means we can’t lose the series, but we don’t want to stop there. Winning the series is the goal. It has always been the goal.
“Long before the Pakistanis arrived we spoke about the belief in the team that we could win the series. We want to win in St Kitts and take the series.”
The victory was also Gibson’s first in a Test since taking over the helm of the side early last year. He oversaw the regional side’s 2-0 loss to South Africa in the three-Test home series and the drawn away series against Sri Lanka.
Gibson stressed that it was important the West Indies use the win to their advantage, especially since it had come on the heels of a long drought.
“Before Sunday’s result it was more than years since we won a Test match and over two years since we last won a series. You will have to go back a long time since the West Indies last won back-to-back Test matches,” the former West Indies all-rounder pointed out.
“The team will feed off this win and we will enjoy it. In international sport you have to enjoy your success, especially in our case where our last victory was more than two years ago.”
The victory for West Indies ensured Pakistan continued their unflattering record of never having won a Test series in the Caribbean.
