Saud Shakeel confident of win in second Test against West Indies

MULTAN: Pakistan’s Test vice-captain Saud Shakeel has expressed determination to secure another victory against the West Indies in the second Test. 

Addressing a press conference in Multan on Thursday, Saud emphasized the importance of setting a big score in Test matches.

“In conditions like these, posting a big total strengthens your grip on the game. After the win in the first Test, the dressing room atmosphere is great. We’re aiming to play with the same approach and focus on building a solid score,” he said.

In the first Test, Sajid Khan and Abrar Ahmed led the charge for Pakistan, bundling out West Indies for 123 to win the match by 127 runs on the third day.

It was the shortest completed men’s test match in Pakistan with 40 wickets falling in 1064 balls.

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Spinners took 16 wickets on Sunday as Jomel Warrican’s seven-wicket haul restricted Pakistan’s second innings to 157, setting a target of 251 for West Indies, who failed to get a partnership going on the turn-heavy track.

“It’s hard out there. Batting was hard,” Pakistan captain Shan Masood said.

“In the second innings, we folded cheaply. There are improvements to be made. When you win, you can go on a happy ride and be happy. But we can’t do that.”

Now when the Shaheens are ready to face West Indies in the second and final Test of the series, Saud noted the challenges of scoring on tricky pitches like Multan’s but maintained confidence in the team’s ability.

“On such pitches, it’s tough to score 500 runs, but a team scoring between 300 and 400 remains competitive. We’ll adapt to the conditions and aim for another strong performance.” 

When asked about his presence in the ICC Top Ten Batting Rankings, Saud said, “My focus is always on helping the team win. Rankings are important, but the team’s success matters the most.” 

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Discussing potential changes in the playing XI, Saud remarked, “If the pitch conditions remain the same, I don’t see the need for any changes. Everyone is performing well, and we’re confident in our squad.” 

Commenting further on the pitch in Multan, he said, “The conditions are challenging, and similar pitches should be used in domestic cricket to help players improve. Facing spin is easier, but batting against a new ball on grassy pitches is tough.” 

The vice-captain also acknowledged that the West Indies would try to push back, adding that it’s a challenge to face an international team on such surfaces. 

Saud Shakeel has been Pakistan’s top scorer in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship cycle (2023-2025), amassing 1,033 runs so far. 

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