Pakistan vs West Indies: What exactly went wrong for the hosts in the 2nd Test?

Former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja expressed his disappointment and reprimanded the senior men's team following their shocking defeat to the West Indies in the second Test in Multan. After a dominant win in the series opener, Pakistan's performance in the second match was drastically underwhelming, as they were handed a 120-run loss. This unexpected result leveled the two-match series 1-1, leaving both teams with one win apiece. The defeat was particularly painful for Pakistan as it allowed the West Indies to secure their first victory on Pakistani soil in 34 years. The Multan Test will be remembered for its dramatic turn of events, especially given the West Indies’ fightback from a precarious position.

After being reduced to 54/8 in their first innings, the visitors managed to scrape together a total of 163, largely thanks to the resilient contributions from their lower order, including Gudakesh Motie, Kemar Roach, and Jomel Warrican. In response, Pakistan’s batting line-up failed to deliver, and they were bowled out for just 154, handing the West Indies a narrow nine-run lead. Despite the hosts having a chance to turn the tide, their inability to capitalize on the opportunity allowed the West Indies to dominate. The loss highlighted serious concerns in Pakistan’s performance, and Ramiz Raja’s reprimand underlined the importance of consistency and mental fortitude for the team going forward.

Despite the challenging pitch conditions, the West Indies managed to post 244 in their second innings, setting Pakistan a challenging target of 254 to win. However, Pakistan's batting line-up crumbled under the pressure, collapsing for just 133 runs, leaving them well short of the target. The West Indies' victory was built on a dominant all-round performance, with Jomel Warrican playing a key role with the ball. He claimed 5/27 in the first innings and finished the match with impressive figures of 9/70, which earned him both the Player of the Match and Player of the Series awards.

Warrican's outstanding performance was a key factor in Pakistan’s downfall, as they failed to cope with the pressure in both innings. Former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja did not hold back in his criticism of the team’s performance, particularly their batting failure in the second innings. He expressed his disappointment with the lack of fight shown by the players, especially after having taken an early lead in the series. Raja's comments were a sharp reminder of the team's need for improvement and consistency, particularly in the face of challenging conditions and strong opposition.

"This is the frustrating part of our cricket. Against top teams, we raise our game, but when facing weaker teams, we drop our standards and play at their level. Basic mistakes that you don't expect from a team like Pakistan were on full display. It's difficult to explain or justify this defeat. The strategy seemed to be focused on exploiting spin-friendly conditions, especially against the West Indies, who aren’t traditionally known for their strength against spin. However, the brutal nature of the pitch meant that winning the toss became crucial. When you lose the toss and fail to capitalize on the conditions, you leave yourself vulnerable, as we saw in the second Test," said Ramiz Raja in a recent interview. 

Pakistan’s batting line-up struggled throughout the series, failing to surpass 200 runs in three of the four innings. Led by Shan Masood, the team appeared completely out of sorts against spin, with reckless shots and panic under pressure contributing to repeated collapses. Their inability to adapt to the conditions, especially against the West Indies’ spinners, was a significant factor in their downfall.

Former PCB chairman Ramiz Raja further criticized the team’s lack of preparation, suggesting that the players were not adequately ready for the challenges they faced. He pointed out that the batting unit failed to address key technical weaknesses, particularly against spin, which was exploited ruthlessly by the West Indies. Raja’s comments emphasized the need for better planning, mental toughness, and skill development to avoid such frequent failures in the future. The series exposed deep concerns about the team's preparation and ability to handle pressure in crucial moments.