Pakistan Climbs World Test Championship Standings Following Emphatic Series-Levelling Victory Over West Indies

Pakistan has successfully climbed out of the basement of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) standings, ending a grueling eight-match overseas losing streak with a resounding eight-wicket victory over the West Indies in Trinidad.[1][2]

The series-levelling win at Queen's Park Oval pushed Pakistan to eighth place in the nine-team WTC table with a points percentage (PCT) of 22.22%, relegating the West Indies to the bottom spot at 20.83%.[1]

Australia continues to dominate the current 2025-2027 WTC cycle, holding the outright lead with a commanding 87.50% PCT after securing seven wins in eight matches. South Africa and New Zealand trail in second and third place with 75.00% and 72.22% respectively, while India sits in fifth at 48.15%.[1][7]

The Trinidad victory marks a significant turning point for a Pakistan side that had not won an away Test since 2023. The drought began with a crushing 360-run defeat to Australia in Perth and culminated in a 90-run loss to the West Indies in the first Test of this series at Tarouba.[2][4]

Reappointed captain Babar Azam guided the chase of a modest 75-run target, sealing the match shortly after lunch on the fourth day by launching left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican for back-to-back sixes. Babar and first-innings centurion Abdullah Shafique finished the chase unbeaten on 24 apiece.[2][4]

The foundation for the victory was laid by Pakistan's spin attack, which capitalized on a wearing Queen's Park Oval pitch to dismantle the West Indies' second innings for just 117. Off-spinner Sajid Khan, recalled after missing the first Test, claimed 4-32, while left-arm orthodox Ali Usman took 4-39.[2][6]

West Indies' resistance was severely hampered by the absence of regular opening batter Brandon King, who was unable to bat in the second innings due to back spasms sustained while executing a spectacular run-out of Babar on day three.[5][6]

Shafique was the standout performer of the match, having been flown in as a late replacement for the injured Shan Masood. His unbeaten 160 in the first innings anchored Pakistan's total of 387, giving them a crucial 43-run lead that proved decisive in the low-scoring affair.[4][5]

West Indies captain Roston Chase acknowledged his side's misreading of the pitch conditions, admitting they likely needed an extra spinner and failed to give their bowlers a competitive total to defend.[4]

The 1-1 series draw mirrors Pakistan's previous tour of the Caribbean in 2021, where they similarly rebounded from a first-Test defeat to win the second match in Jamaica. Pakistan now turns its attention to a challenging three-Test home series against England beginning later in August.[3][5]