The West Indians in Pakistan and Australia, 1991-92

Before travelling to Australia to take part in the World Series Cup, West Indies played three one-day internationals in Pakistan. They emerged 2-0 winners of a closely contested series, and for a while it was assumed they had won the tied match in Lahore, where they lost fewer wickets. But the teams had agreed to play by World Cup regulations, which made no distinction between level scores. In the only departure from World Cup rules, the number of overs a side was limited to 40, because of the early sunsets; but even this proved too much for Pakistan, who bowled only 34 and 39 in the first two matches. No financial penalty was applied, however.

The pitches did not encourage the strokeplayers, but for West Indies Desmond Haynes, Brian Lara, and Carl Hooper played some impressive innings. Barbadian opener Philo Wallace made an assured international debut, but the performance of captain Richie Richardson, with only 21 runs in three innings, was a disappointment. Curtly Ambrose and Malcolm Marshall bowled consistently and another newcomer from Barbados, Anderson Cummings, showed promise.

Pakistan's batting lacked depth, especially when Javed Miandad, their highest scorer in the opening match, missed the rest with back trouble. But the series provided useful international experience for some of Pakistan's younger players before the World Cup in February. Inzamam-ul-Haq, who made his debut at Lahore, and Zahid Fazal both recorded fine fifties at Faisalabad, where the crowd was thrilled by Inzamam's driving. As that match progressed, however, some spectators began to vent their disappointment at the prospect of losing by throwing fruit and plastic bottles at the West Indian fielders; Keith Arthurton was forced to wear a helmet at deep mid-wicket in the last over. There was similar trouble at Karachi.

West Indies' subsequent visit to Australia was not a success. They failed to reach the finals of the World Series Cup, their primary object, after winning only two of their eight qualifying matches. Haynes was the most honourable exception to a series of poor performances by the batsmen. An Australian XI defeated them by an innings in the four-day game at Hobart. This was the only first-class match played by the West Indian team between the Oval Test in August 1991 and the inaugural Test with South Africa in April. In that time they played 26 one-day internationals.

Match reports for

1st ODI: Pakistan v West Indies at Karachi, Nov 20, 1991
Report | Scorecard

2nd ODI: Pakistan v West Indies at Lahore, Nov 22, 1991
Report | Scorecard

3rd ODI: Pakistan v West Indies at Faisalabad, Nov 24, 1991
Report | Scorecard