WI vs PAK: Can Pakistan Overcome ‘Batting Collapse’ Problems & Mount A Comeback Against Windies?

WI vs PAK: As the 1st Test match between Pakistan and West Indies hangs in the balance, a recurring problem can come to haunt the men in green once again: a batting collapse. It has been a recurring problem for the Pakistani batting lineup in the last 10 months. At Tarouba, Trinidad, the men in green saw a similar script repeat. From 199/3, the Pakistani side was sent packing into the hut for a paltry 282 runs.

The Windies capitalised on the batting collapse and took an overall lead of 155 runs with three wickets in hand after yet another eventful day which went to the pacers. Interestingly, pacers have ruled the roost in Trinidad with all 27 wickets falling to pacers.

West Indian all-rounder Justin Greaves was spewing fire on the pitch with a five-wicket haul, bowling out the Pakistani side for 282 in reply to the 311 of Windies. Pakistan resumed Day 2 on a commanding 199/3 and looked set for a sizeable first-innings total after progressing to 242 without any further setbacks. However, the innings unravelled spectacularly as they lost their final seven wickets for just 38 runs. The collapse worsened towards the end, with the last five batters dismissed for a mere 16 runs, as Justin Greaves triggered the slide by claiming four wickets in a devastating four-over spell.

The latest batting failure adds to a worrying trend for Pakistan, marking their sixth major lower-order collapse in the last 10 months. Since the start of the current World Test Championship cycle in October last year, the side has repeatedly squandered promising positions across multiple series.

Against South Africa in Lahore, Pakistan lost five wickets for 16 runs in the first innings before slipping from a strong position again with seven wickets for 48 in the second innings. The problems persisted in the second Test at Rawalpindi, where they lost their last five wickets for 17 runs in the first innings and six for 42 in the second as South Africa drew the series.

The struggles continued during the Bangladesh tour in May, when Pakistan crashed from a competitive position to lose five wickets for just 11 runs in Dhaka, eventually suffering a 2-0 series defeat.

With the pitch at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy offering uneven bounce and assistance for fast bowlers, Pakistan will now rely on their pace attack to restrict the West Indies and avoid chasing a daunting fourth-innings target.