Multan Madness: Historic Stats from Pakistan Vs. West Indies Test

The recently concluded Test match between Pakistan and the West Indies in Multan produced a whirlwind of records, rewriting history books with its brevity and drama. Spinners dominated, wickets tumbled, and milestones fell in one of the shortest and most memorable matches in Pakistan’s Test history.

Shortest Test in Pakistan with a Result

The Multan Test witnessed only 1064 balls bowled across the four innings, marking it as the shortest men’s Test in Pakistan to produce a result. Previously, the record stood at 1080 balls, set during a Pakistan-West Indies Test in Faisalabad in 1990.

Low Aggregate, High Drama

The two teams combined for a mere 647 runs, the third-lowest aggregate in a men’s Test in Asia where all 40 wickets fell. This tally also ranks as the fourth-lowest in men’s Tests since 1980 under the same conditions, further emphasizing the gripping, spin-dominated battle.

West Indies’ Batting Woes

West Indies managed to face only 371 balls across both innings—their lowest ever in a Test where they lost all 20 wickets. The previous low was 450 balls against England in the 2000 Leeds Test.

For Pakistan, it was their most efficient bowling performance in a men’s Test, needing just 371 balls to dismantle the West Indies lineup. This broke their previous record of 494 balls, achieved in a 2001 Multan Test against Bangladesh.

Globally, the West Indies’ 371-ball effort is the fifth-fewest balls batted by any team in a men’s Test since 1910 and the ninth-fewest overall in Test history.

Spinners Reign Supreme

Pakistan’s spinners, after claiming 40 out of 40 wickets across the last two matches against England added another 20-wicket haul in the Multan Test. With this, Pakistan achieved a historic milestone: taking all 20 wickets via spin in three consecutive home Tests. This feat has now been accomplished five times in total by Pakistan, including two instances from the 20th century.

Previously, India held the record for this achievement with four instances, but Pakistan’s mastery of spin on home soil has propelled them into uncharted territory. Their spinners’ dominance further solidifies their reputation as a formidable force in spin-friendly conditions.

The Multan Test set a new benchmark, with spinners claiming 34 wickets—the most in a Test match in Pakistan. This surpassed the 32 wickets recorded in last year’s Multan Test between Pakistan and England.

Warrican’s Wizardry

West Indies’ Jomel Warrican etched his name into the record books with a stellar 7 for 32 in Pakistan’s second innings—the best bowling figures by a visiting spinner in Pakistan. He joins an elite club of bowlers, as only the fifth visiting player to claim a 10-wicket haul in Pakistan and the first from the West Indies.

A Day of Mayhem

Day two saw 19 wickets tumble, the most in a single day’s play in Pakistan’s Test history. This eclipsed the 18-wicket frenzy on day two of the 2003 Pakistan-Bangladesh Test, also in Multan.

The drama continued on day three, with 17 wickets falling, including 12 during the opening session—a record-equalling tally in men’s Tests since 2010.

Tail-End Heroics for West Indies

In a bizarre twist, West Indies’ lower-order batters—Nos. 9, 10, and 11—topped their first-innings scoring chart. Jomel Warrican’s unbeaten 31, Jayden Seales’ spirited 22, and Gudakesh Motie’s gritty 19 made history as the first instance in men’s Tests where the bottom three delivered the top scores.

This rare feat had only occurred twice before, with Australia’s Tom Garrett and Edwin Evans in 1885, and England’s Jack Leach and Saqib Mahmood in 2022.

A Test for the Ages

The first Multan Test between Pakistan and West Indies will be remembered as a testament to the unpredictable, enthralling nature of cricket. With records shattered and spinners weaving magic, it underscored the timeless charm of the longest format.