PAKISTAN v WEST INDIES 1986-87

At Faisalabad, October 24, 26, 27, 28, 29. Pakistan won by 186 runs. Devastating leg-spin and googly bowling by Qadir, well supported by Imran's fast-medium bowling and backed up by the brilliance of the close fielders, broke West Indies after tea on the fourth afternoon, taking Pakistan to the brink of victory with unexpected swiftness. West Indies' second-innings 53 was their lowest in Tests, their previous lowest having been 76, also against Pakistan, at Dacca in 1958-59, and was the lowest in a Test innings in Pakistan. The defeat was only their fourth in 57 Tests since 1979-80: they had in that time won 30.

West Indies' pace quartet dominated the opening day after Pakistan had chosen to bat first, only Imran resisting as he saw his side from 37 for five to 159. He lost Salim Malik at 90, his arm broken just above the wrist, but found an ally in Tauseef Ahmed and the last wicket put on 39. With Richards ill, West Indies' innings never developed against resourceful bowling by Pakistan. Tauseef, dismissing Richardson and Dujon with successive balls, bowled a miserly spell in the afternoon, and then Wasim Akram swept away the tail to return his best figures in Test cricket. The loss of Mudassar and Ramiz before the close did not bode well for Pakistan with three days remaining, but they dug in on the third day, adding only 155 and, more important, losing only two more wickets. Salim Yousuf, having gone in as night-watchman, remained 46 overs for his 61, his maiden Test fifty, and both Mohsin and Miandad batted with great discipline, the latter eventually taking three hours over his 30.

It was Wasim Akram, with his first Test fifty, who swung the game away from West Indies, Pakistan's lead was 135 when he joined Imran. They added 34, and then with sixes off Marshall and Patterson he added 38 with the plucky Tauseef. Finally, Pakistan's courageous fightback was epitomized by Salim Malik, who came out to bat with his arm in plaster, faced fourteen balls, and helped Akram add a further 32. West Indies, with four sessions remaining, needed 240 to win; but after just one of them their innings was in a shambles - 43 for nine. Qadir had already taken five wickets (for 13) in a Test innings for the tenth time, and next morning he caught and bowled Marshall to finish with six for 16.

Man of the Match: Wasim Akram.

Close of play: First day, West Indies 54-1 (D. L. Haynes 18*, R. B. Richardson 20*); Second day, Pakistan 28-2 (Mohsin Khan 3*, Salim, Yousuf 9*); Third day, Pakistan 183-4 (Qasim Omar 38*, Javed Miandad 15*); Fourth day, West Indies 43-9 (M. D. Marshall 6*).