Babar Azam's return as Pakistan Test captain ends in crushing defeat to West Indies

Babar Azam's return as Pakistan Test captain ended in disappointment as the West Indies produced a clinical fast-bowling display to register a 90-run win in the opening Test at Tarouba on Monday, taking a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.Babar Azam's return as Pakistan Test captain spoiled by dominant West Indies (Reuters Photo)Babar Azam's return as Pakistan's Test captain ended in a crushing 90-run defeat as the West Indies rode on a relentless pace attack to win the opening Test in Tarouba on Monday and take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.West Indies vs Pakistan, 1st Test Day 4: HIGHLIGHTSChasing 211 for victory, Pakistan collapsed to a dismal 120 all out in just 40.4 overs, with Jayden Seales taking center stage with a destructive five-wicket haul. The loss marks Pakistan's eighth straight away Test defeat, stretching their worst run on foreign soil. For the hosts, the win was a fitting tribute on an emotional day, as they honored the legendary Sir Garfield Sobers on what would have been his 90th birthday.Pakistan took the field on Day 4 looking for a quick cleanup operation after leaving the West Indies reeling at 93 for 7 late on Day 3. Instead, Shamar Joseph and Kemar Roach threw a massive wrench in those plans, frustrating the attack with a vital 61-run stand for the eighth wicket. Joseph went on the offensive, charging Khurram Shahzad and launching him over the straight boundary for six, before Mohammad Ali finally snapped the partnership with a smart slower ball. The tail added another 27 runs before Mohammad Abbas sealed his five-wicket haul, dismissing the Windies for 238 and setting Pakistan 211 to win. The run chase turned into a total disaster almost right off the bat. Seales and Roach got the new ball darting around, ripping through Pakistan's top order to leave them reeling at 27 for 3 before lunch. Imam-ul-Haq edged behind, Azan Awais nicked an ambitious drive, and Salman Ali Agha was trapped dead in front by a Seales ball that nipped back viciously.Justin Greaves came on after the break and turned the screws even further. He knocked over Mohammad Rizwan with his very first legal delivery before trapping Aamer Jamal lbw. Debutant Ali Usman ended his first Test match with an edge to second slip, while Shan Masood, bravely batting through a finger fracture picked up in the first innings, could only manage a fleeting stay before chipping a simple catch to backward point. Babar provided the lone spark in an otherwise dismal batting effort. The skipper fought hard for his 32nd Test half-century and got some temporary company from last man Mohammad Abbas, who swung freely to extend the match. But with zero support from the rest of the lineup, Pakistan was simply delaying the inevitable.Seales returned after tea to trap Abbas lbw, capping off his brilliant five-wicket haul and sealing a comprehensive 1-0 lead for the hosts in the two-match series.By the end of it, the West Indies quicks had gobbled up nine of the ten wickets, laying bare Pakistan's fragile batting lineup under pressure. For Babar, it is a brutal start to his second captaincy tenure and a harsh reminder of Pakistan's ongoing road woes.- EndsPublished By: Saurabh KumarPublished On: Jul 29, 2026 02:50 IST