Babar Azam steers Pakistan to eight-wicket win at Queen's Park Oval to level series

Babar Azam's Pakistan defeated the West Indies by eight wickets in the second Test at Queen's Park Oval in Port of Spain on Wednesday, drawing the two-match series 1-1 and ending a three-year wait for an away Test victory. The win halted a run of eight consecutive away Test defeats for Pakistan.

Pakistan's last away Test victory had been against Sri Lanka in Galle in July 2023, also under Babar's captaincy, after which the team lost eight straight Tests on foreign soil. During Shan Masood's tenure as captain, Pakistan failed to win any of their seven away Tests, and the Pakistan Cricket Board reinstated Babar as Test captain ahead of the West Indies and England tours. The tourists had been under pressure after losing the series opener by 90 runs, and the second Test result gave Pakistan their first Test triumph in the Caribbean in five years.

Abdullah Shafique led Pakistan's first-innings response with a marathon 160 as the visitors replied to the West Indies' 344 by posting 387. Babar contributed a fluent 88 in that innings but did not convert it into a century. Shafique's 160 made him the first Pakistan batter since 1977 to score 150 or more in a Test innings in the West Indies, and Pakistan took a first-innings lead of 43.

Pakistan's bowlers ensured that advantage was decisive in the second innings, dismissing the West Indies for 117. Sajid Khan claimed four wickets and Ali Usman took two as the hosts collapsed to set Pakistan a target of 75.

The chase was completed comfortably as Pakistan reached 77 for two in 23.3 overs. Babar remained unbeaten on 24 and Abdullah Shafique finished not out on 24 as Pakistan sealed the win with eight wickets in hand.

Despite the series leveller, Pakistan remain at the bottom of the 2025-27 ICC World Test Championship standings. The PCB's decision to restore Babar as Test captain was intended to revive the team's fortunes, and the immediate response in this match has been described as encouraging; ending the prolonged away losing streak provides Pakistan with much-needed momentum.

Pakistan now prepare for a much tougher assignment in England later this month, with the team still facing the task of improving their position in the World Test Championship.