KINGSTON (Jamaica), June 2: Despite the return of their skipper and most experienced batsman Inzamamul Haq, Pakistan face a daunting task as they prepare to take on West Indies in the second and final Test, which gets under way at Sabina Park from Friday.

Pakistan’s chances of squaring the series largely depends on the broad shoulders of Inzamam, who will be taking over the reins of captaincy from Younis Khan after serving the one-Test suspension.

However, Inzamam must be looking at his deputy Younis and the rest of batting line-up to put up substantial runs on the board to put pressure on a West Indies side brimming with confidence after their resounding performance in the first Test earlier in the week.

Pakistan’s dream of winning their first-ever Test series in the Caribbean suffered a crushing blow when they lost the first Test at Kensington Oval in Barbados by 276 runs just after lunch on the fourth day.

Pakistan have to produce something extraordinary in this final Test against a side which had suffered a string of defeats in both Tests and one-dayers.

The visitors will be further bolstered by the return of all-rounder Shoaib Malik, who also missed the Bridgetown Test due one-Test ban for throwing a Twenty20 game in Lahore.

But Pakistan will be once again without their experienced middle-order batsman Yousuf Youhana, who missed the first Test since he had to return home to attend to his ailing father in Lahore.

Pakistan’s biggest worry is the failure of their opening batsmen. Both left-handed Salman Butt and the right-hander Yasir Hameed were huge disappointments in Barbados.

In contrast, the West Indian batting appear to be in great shape with the great Brian Lara and captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul maintaining their consistency.

It is imperative that Pakistani bowlers must get rid of both Lara and Chanderpaul cheaply if they aspire to level the series.

However, Pakistan will be lucky that West Indies will be without their strike bowler Fidel Edwards, who sent the tourists crashing to 144 all out in the first innings of the first Test with a five-wicket haul.

Fast bowler Edwards has been replaced by fellow Barbadian Tino Best in the 13-member squad.

Despite his unpredictability, Shahid Afridi showed great maturity as a Test batsman and his rapid-fire innings of 130 in the second innings of the Barbados Test will be remembered for a long time to come.

Besides his dazzling batting, Afridi also captured some useful wickets with his leg-breaks.

Oozing with confidence, Afridi is keen to repeat his performance. “I was disappointed that my Test hundred failed to save Pakistan from defeat in Barbados.”

The all-rounder pointed out that the team has been working on a strategy to get Lara out early, because his wicket makes the difference.

But he added that cricket is a game of fluctuating fortunes. “If the team gets its act together then it is capable of unsettling the West Indies.”

Regarding his batting position, Afridi said he would like to bat down the order so that the team benefits.

The Sabina Park pitch is expected to assist the pacemen and Pakistan pace trio of Shabbir Ahmed, Rana Navedul Hasan and Abdul Razzaq will be hoping to exploit the conditions

Leg-spinner Danish Kaneria despite getting a lot of punishment in the first Test, will relish bowling on the hard surface here.

The Jamaica Test will also bring down the curtains on the career of the portly figure of David Shepherd, the English umpire who will officiate in his final Test before retirement from the international scene.

Teams (from):

WEST INDIES: Chris Gayle, Devon Smith, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Brian Lara, Shivnarine Chanderpaul (captain), Wavell Hinds, Dwayne Bravo, Courtney Browne, Darren Powell, Tino Best, Ian Bradshaw, Corey Collymore.

PAKISTAN: Salman Butt, Yasir Hameed, Younis Khan, Inzamamul Haq (captain), Bazid Khan, Asim Kamal, Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Kamran Akmal, Rana Navedul Hasan, Shabbir Ahmed, Danish Kaneria, Arshad Khan, Rao Iftikhar, Shahid Nazir.

Umpires: David Shepherd (England) and Darrell Hair (Australia).

TV umpire: Basil Morgan (West Indies).

Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (Sri Lanka).—APP