PORT-OF-SPAIN: West Indies look to sweep the Test series against Pakistan when the two sides meet in the second game here at the Queen’s Park Oval on Sunday.
Home team captain Roston Chase is hoping that the hosts can establish their reputation as a formidable opponent in their home conditions.
“After having the year we had last year [winning one and losing eight Tests], we sat down with the plan and said this is where we want to be,” Chase said ahead of their series decider against Pakistan which is part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC).
“And as I said, we’re exactly where we want to be. We want to level up. We want to just come into this second Test, not take anything for granted, just go through the processes that we’ve sat down and talked about.
“We want to come and execute them to the best of our ability. And look to get that second victory,” he added.
The West Indies beat Babar Azam-led Pakistan by 90 runs in a low-scoring series opener at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba.
The result added to West Indies’ tally of 30 points in the WTC Standings, where they are placed eighth, just above Pakistan.
“We’re very blessed and very happy for the results that we’ve been having at home so far.
“But I want to make home our fortress, where we make it very difficult for teams to come to the Caribbean and beat us.
“Because it’s our own conditions, we know them inside out, and better than the opposition. So I think we want to really make home advantage count, and we’ve been doing that well so far.
“So, as I said, we’re lucky to continue in the vein of form that we’ve been in, and to take victory in this second game.”
The hosts, inspired by Justin Greaves and Jayden Seales, put together an incredible bowling display to seal their win in the first Test.
A major name missing from their bowling resources was Chase himself, who was unable to contribute with the ball owing to a right index finger injury.
“It’s getting better,” Chase said. “Hopefully, I think I’ll be ready to bowl by Sunday. I bowled two overs [in the nets] today. It still has a bit of pain.
“But I think by Sunday, I should be able to at least bowl probably four to five overs consistently.”
PROBLEMS FOR TOURISTS
On the other hand, Pakistan, having lost a two-Test series 2-0 in Bangladesh recently, continue to slide in the five-day format.
The Babar Azam-led men, who are currently at the bottom of a nine-team WTC table just below the West Indies, face a massive task as the beleaguered tourists seek to avoid another series loss in Port-of-Spain.
The problems for Pakistan compounded when their top-order batter Shan Masood, who scored a century (109) in the first innings of the opening Test against the West Indies, was ruled of the second Test after fracturing the index finger of his left hand during the series opener after being hit by a Seales delivery, which forced the left-hander to drop down to number eight in the second innings.
While the touring side’s bowlers fared pretty well by restricting the West Indies to 311 and 181 in the first Test, explicit chinks in Pakistan’s batting remains their perennial concern.
Chasing 211, Pakistan collapsed to 120 all out in a spineless willow work. Other than Babar (58 not out) no batter could face a disciplined West Indies pace attack on a bowlers-friendly track. Middle-order batters Salman Ali Agha and experienced wicket-keeper/batter Mohammad Rizwan flopped in both the innings of the first Test and must step up in Port-of-Spain if their team are to challenge West Indies.
Published in Dawn, August 2nd, 2026