Pakistan v West Indies, 2nd Test - West Indies Player Ratings

West Indies have had one of their most disappointing tours in their recent cricket history. The Caribbeans were expected to challenge the virtual home side in the T20 and the ODI series but their performance were not even up to a challenging level against the white ball. In Test cricket, there were little hopes from the touring side but they put up a competitive performance where they build up a chance of winning the test after conceding 579 in the first innings riding on Darren Bravo’s stupendous hundred.

But the story has been the same in the second Test as it was throughout the tour. West Indies never seemed in the hunt to put any kind of pressure on Pakistan at any moment in the Test match. There were a few bright performances for West Indies in this test but overall, it has been another test performance they would like to forget soon. After the T20, ODI and 2 out of the 3 Tests in the Test series, West Indies can only hope for a miraculous performance in the final Test of the series so that they won’t have to go back home empty handed.

Here are the player ratings for the West Indian cricketers as Pakistan takes an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the 3-match test series:

Leon Johnson – 1.5/10

Unlike the first Test, West Indies did not let Pakistan run away with the game after the first innings as they dismissed Pakistan for 452 in the first innings. A good start from the openers was necessary but Leon Johnson failed terribly in the attempt. After holding the fort for 13 overs, he was the first batsman to be dismissed for West Indies when he got out for a mere score of 12.

In the second innings as well, his innings was even shorter than it was in the first one. A strong opening partnership was important for West Indies in a stiff chase of 456 to hold any chances of a draw but Johnson was bowled attempting a sweep shot of Yasir Shah in only the 8th over of the innings. In the end, Leon Johnson proved to be the most disappointing batsman for West Indies in this test failing to provide any sort of solidity in both innings of the match.

Also read – Pakistan v West Indies, 2nd Test: 5 Talking Points

Kraigg Brathwaite – 5/10

With a game built on patience, Kraigg Brathwaite is one batsman West Indies can rely on under tough conditions. Brathwaite batted with a stubborn approach in the first innings. Coming into bat at number 3 and looked on course to survive the second day’s play until he got into an unfortunate mix up with the nightwatchman Devendra Bishoo and had to walk back to the pavilion for a gutsy 21. All his hard work of batting on for 82 deliveries went in vain.

He tried to make up for that in the second innings. He batted with grit again and this time made sure there aren’t any silly mistakes scoring his 4th test fifty. His innings was cut short by Mohammad Nawaz who trapped him in front of stumps as Brathwaite missed a straight ball and was adjudged LBW off a reviewed decision. The young man showed fight but it never proved to be enough for his team.

Darren Bravo – 4/10

After a brilliant first game, there were huge expectations from Darren Bravo but he didn’t even come near to his heroics in the first test. Walking out to open in the first innings, Bravo scored a good looking 43 but failed to carry on and was dismissed to Pakistan’s ace spinner Yasir Shah. A good first innings could have put West Indies in a better position in the test and watching Darren Bravo bat like the way he did would have certainly made the Caribbean fans feel confident about their chances but his dismissal put West Indies under pressure throughout the innings.

In the second innings, he was back to his conventional number 3 position but failed to provide any solidity again. In fact, he gifted his wicket away this time throwing his hands at a short and wide delivery from Rahat Ali straight to Mohammad Nawaz at backward point. You certainly expect a more responsible batting performance from your number 3 batsman under such circumstances.

Also read – Pakistan v West Indies, 2nd Test – Pakistan Player Ratings

Marlon Samuels – 3/10

You are yet to win a game on the whole tour, your team is already 1-0 down in the Test series and under pressure in the second test and you walks into bat as the most experienced batsman of your side. It is not rocket science that your team need you to perform. A good innings from you won’t only help you but also the confidence of your team. But Marlon Samuels threw it away in both innings. He got in and got out for ordinary scores in both innings.

In the first innings, he scored 30 and failed to bat till stumps on day 2. His failure had a big impact on the game as it opened the gates for Pakistani bowlers. Ultimately, when West Indies could have ended the day in a much comfortable position with 2 wickets down, they saw half their team back in the pavilion at stumps after Marlon Samuels departure. In the second innings, he got out playing a loose shot chipping the ball back to Yasir Shah for 23, thus wasting another start.

Quite sad to see a batsman who has played over 60 Tests still bats like he is making his debut.

Jeramie Blackwood – 6.5/10

Jeramie Blackwood had shown the knack of playing good test knocks in the past but was having an off time with the bat for quite a few tests. He put all those behind him during the second innings of the test scoring an attractive 95. He might have missed out on a hundred but his innings was a big positive for West Indies. It helped the Windies to go past the 300-run mark which will surely make them feel good in the last test and reduced the deficit of the defeat. He played every Pakistani bowler with confidence as his 95 came at a healthy strike rate of 74 involving 11 boundaries.

A stronger performance in the first innings where he was dismissed for 8 would have certainly fetched him more points on our radar.

Roston Chase – 3/10

Roston Chase proved to be highly ineffective for West Indies with both bat and ball. As a batsman, he looked promising in both the innings with the way he started but failed to carry on like most of his teammates. He scored 22 and 20 in the game and fell to Yasir Shah on both occasions. He did face 86 balls in the second innings for his 20 but always batted in a shell.

With the ball, he bowled 25 overs but could not bring any success for his side.

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Shai Hope – 5/10

The 22-year old wicket-keeper batsman had an average test match. To his credits, Shai didn’t have much to do in this test match as both the time when he came to bat, the game already seemed like a lost cause for West Indies. In the first innings, he batted for 60 balls scoring 11 batting at number 8 whereas in the second innings, he batted with much more confidence scoring a good looking 41.

Behind the stumps, the West Indies didn’t create much chances for him as he finished the game with 2 catches to his name.

Jason Holder – 5.5/10

As a captain, Jason Holder had a match to forget but as an all rounder he would not be completely disappointed with his game. He bowled with control in the first innings where he took 3 wickets for 47 runs in his 22 over a keeping the Pakistani batsmen in check. He didn’t bowl much in the second inning and went wicketless in his 7 overs but was again economical when Pakistan were looking to score quickly.

As a batsman, he was the last man standing for West Indies in the first innings scoring a brisk 31* batting with the tailenders.

Devendra Bishoo – 3/10

After a superb 8-wicket haul which turned the tables for West Indies in the previous test, Bishoo had a highly disappointing test match in Abu Dhabi. He could take only 1 wicket in the whole test where he bowled for 46 overs and his economy rate was also on the higher side. Pakistani batsmen enjoyed his bowling on the Abu Dhabi track and Bishoo was never allowed to find a consistent line and length.

Not only that, coming in to bat as a night watchman on day 2, Bishoo had a mix up with Kraigg Brathwaite and got him run out instead of protecting him. He did hung around for more than an hour and a half but the main damage was already done when he ran the genuine batsman out.

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Shanon Gabriel – 7/10

If there was one bowler who didn’t allow Pakistan to run away with the game in the first innings like they did in the first test then it was Shanon Gabriel. It was his 5-wicket haul which created the difference for West Indies as Pakistan bundled out for 452. He bowled with pace and accuracy keeping Pakistan on the backfoot. He didn’t only take wickets, he removed some big player’s involving the triple centurion Azhar Ali, Misbah Ul Haq (for 96), Asad Shafiq and the dangerous Sarfaraz Ahmed with a 152 kph yorker. He completed his 5-wicket haul by taking the last wicket of the Pakistan innings removing Zulfiqar Babar.

In the second innings also, he chipped in with a wicket finishing with 6 in the match and ending as a bright spot for the West Indies in the test match.

Miguel Cummins – 3/10

It won’t be wrong to say that Miguel Cummins ended up as the least effective fast bowler on either side in this Test match. He went wicketless after bowling 20 overs in the first innings but got the consolation prize of Azhar Ali’s wicket in the second innings when Pakistan were looking to score quickly.