West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite has acknowledged his team’s shortcomings following their 127-run defeat to Pakistan in the first Test in Multan. While emphasizing the need for improvement, Brathwaite praised individual performances that offered hope for the remainder of the series.
Reflecting on the match, Brathwaite admitted the team’s batting fell short, saying, “The batters didn’t play as well as they should have.” However, he highlighted standout contributions, such as Alick Athanaze’s attacking half-century and Jomel Warrican’s effective bowling, as positives to build on.
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Brathwaite stressed the importance of confidence and intent going into the second Test, which begins on January 25, also in Multan. “We just have to be brave. It is important to be positive on these types of pitches. We should still trust our defence but show intent like Alick did. If we can align our batting and bowling efforts, we can come out on top,” he added.
The West Indies skipper also reserved high praise for young fast bowler Jayden Seales, calling him a future star. “Jayden will be a legend for sure. I can see him taking 300 Test wickets. He is one of the best I have seen in the subcontinent,” Brathwaite remarked.
Pakistan’s victory in the first Test was marked by stellar performances from both their batters and bowlers. After winning the toss, Pakistan was initially in trouble at 46/4, thanks to Gudakesh Motie (1/48) and Jayden Seales (3/27). A crucial 141-run partnership between Saud Shakeel (84) and Mohammad Rizwan (71) rescued the hosts, allowing them to post 230 runs in their first innings.
West Indies’ response with the bat was derailed by Pakistan’s spinners. Sajid Khan (4/65), Nauman Ali (5/39), and Abrar Ahmed (1/6) dismantled the visitors, reducing them to 137 all out. Contributions from the lower order—Jomel Warrican (31), Seales (22), and Motie (19)—helped West Indies recover slightly from 66/8. Pakistan carried a first-innings lead of 93 runs.
In Pakistan’s second innings, opener Shan Masood scored a composed 52, supported by Muhammad Hurraira’s 29, as the hosts set a challenging target of 251. Warrican bowled a remarkable spell, taking 7/32, and wrapped up Pakistan’s innings for 157.
West Indies, chasing 251, once again struggled against Pakistan’s spinners. Alick Athanaze’s 55 was the lone bright spot as Sajid Khan (5/50) and Abrar Ahmed (4/27) bowled out the visitors for just 123 runs, sealing the win for Pakistan with two days to spare. Sajid Khan’s all-round performance earned him the ‘Player of the Match’ award.
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