Match overview

West Indies Cricket beat Pakistan Cricket by 120 runs in the Multan Test on 25 January 2025. West Indies posted 163 in their first innings and 244 in their second, setting Pakistan a target of 254. Pakistan, who had made 154 in reply to the first innings, were bowled out for 133 chasing the total. Jomel Warrican was the central figure: his 9/70 from 33 overs in Pakistan's final innings gave him Player of the Match honours and left Pakistan with no realistic route to the target. It was a low-scoring match throughout, with no side reaching 250, and spin dominated proceedings from the first session to the last.

Warrican's performance in this match followed figures of 10/101 in the previous Test at the same ground, also in January 2025. Pakistan's Nauman Ali matched him for industry, finishing with 10/121 from 36.2 overs across the game. Between them, the two left-arm spinners claimed 19 of the 40 wickets to fall. The remaining wicket went unaccounted for in the available data, but the pattern was unmistakable: this was a spinner's match from first ball to last.

West Indies won the toss and elected to bat, a decision that looked risky when they were bowled out for 163. The pitch, however, played well below par for both sides. Pakistan's 154 in reply meant West Indies held a lead of just 9 runs at the halfway point, before their second-innings 244 opened up a decisive advantage. Pakistan's top order showed little resistance in the chase and were dismissed for 133.

Venue and conditions

Multan Cricket Stadium has hosted 35 Tests according to our match records, with an average first-innings score of 233 and an average second-innings score of 212. Neither side came close to those marks in this fixture. The pitch offered consistent turn throughout, which is consistent with Multan's reputation as one of the more spin-friendly venues on the Pakistan circuit.

The chase success rate at Multan sits at 36 per cent, one of the lower figures among established Test venues. Teams setting totals here have a structural advantage, and West Indies' 253-run target proved well beyond Pakistan's reach. Historically, the toss has led to a decision to field on just 26 per cent of occasions at this ground, confirming that batting first remains the preferred choice. West Indies' decision to bat after winning the toss was conventional, and on this occasion it worked.

Powerplay and death-overs data are not a meaningful measure for Test cricket, and the innings-phase breakdowns here confirm that all scoring occurred in the middle overs as expected. What the venue numbers tell us is that totals below 180 in any innings are unusual, and yet three of the four innings in this match fell short of the 200 mark.

How to watch

Test cricket between West Indies and Pakistan is broadcast in the United Kingdom on Sky Sports Cricket. Coverage is available via Sky Go and NOW TV for those without a standard Sky subscription. Matches are typically available live with full commentary and analysis across Sky's digital and satellite platforms.

For Test match series, BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra carries extensive coverage through Test Match Special on BBC Sounds. Ball-by-ball radio commentary is free to access and available to listeners in the UK and online. For the schedule of upcoming matches in this or any ongoing series, Sky Sports' website and the official boards' channels carry full fixture listings.

Recent form

West Indies arrived at this match in difficult recent form in Test cricket, having lost four of their previous five Tests including defeats to Bangladesh in 2024. The sole win in that run was also against Bangladesh. Their performances in 2025 against Pakistan have been more competitive, with wins at Brian Lara Stadium by 202 runs and 5 wickets before this result.

Pakistan's recent run has been mixed. They won the first match of this January series against West Indies before losing two Tests to South Africa in late 2024, also winning two in that same series. A home loss of this nature, bowled out for 133 chasing 254 at Multan, will add to concerns about their spin-batting depth. West Indies, on the other hand, head into the next phase of their tour with renewed confidence after back-to-back Test wins in Pakistan.