Veteran West Indies cricket commentator, Dr Joseph Reds Perreira, has praised the Men in Maroon’s remarkable come-from-behind victory against Pakistan in Multan during the second Test which ended on Monday.
Perreira, who has followed the Caribbean side for over five decades, highlighted the resilience of the team and the tactical brilliance of skipper Kraigg Brathwaite and coach Andre Coley as key factors in the historic win.
“This victory was extremely pleasing, extremely significant, extremely brilliant,” Perreira stated. “One must give Coley and Brathwaite a lot of credit for holding the boys together, believing that they can compete if they made the necessary adjustments. Totally demoralised after the first test, it looked like the same might happen in the second test, but they made the necessary effort to be disciplined and be selective.”
He also emphasised the significance of defeating Pakistan at home in conditions tailored for spin bowling: “We just beat Pakistan on their own turf, in spinning conditions. Not many teams can really do that. The fact that we could have out-bowled and out-batted them was a significant victory.”
Perreira commended the performances of several young players who played pivotal roles in securing the win.
“We could not have won this Test match without Warrican. He ended up with 19 wickets and was the player of the series. One must give him credit for having the character, the commitment, and the fight not to give up. He has put his hands up, and he’s virtually said, you know, you really got to consider me.
“Sinclair showed his all-round ability and picked up some important wickets and made some important runs. I thought that Imlach was the real find of the series. He kept very well, and both Ian Bishop and Darren Ganga praised him for his very good clean glove work and his important knocks,” Perreira noted.
However, the commentator pointed out several concerns that need addressing if the West Indies are to achieve sustained success. Chief among these is the inconsistency of the top order, which often left the tailenders to salvage respectable totals. Perreira suggested incorporating white-ball players into the Test setup as a potential solution.
“It opens the door for whether white-ball players like Shai Hope and Sherfane Rutherford can commit to Test cricket,” he said.
Perreira also criticised the pitch conditions in Pakistan, arguing that they heavily favoured spinners to the detriment of the game.
“I have no respect for what we saw in Pakistan. It wasn’t good for Test cricket. It certainly wasn’t good to watch,” he said. “The pendulum was swinging definitely against the batsmen…. It was so one-sided for both Pakistan and West Indian batsmen. Pakistan cannot continue to do this for their own benefit. They’re not helping their players or encouraging fast bowlers with such pitches.”
Looking ahead, Perreira stressed the importance of transforming Caribbean cricket, particularly from the youth level. He advocated for retaining Coley in the development setup, even as Saint Lucian Daren Sammy prepares to take over as Test coach.
“I think that Cricket West Indies, through Miles Bascombe and the board, should offer coach Coley the job of the Under-23 team if they have to create that structure. He must be fully supported with the right finances and the right competitions that he’s got to play against worldwide, not just the weaker teams,” he said.
While acknowledging that significant work lies ahead to restore the West Indies to their former glory, Perreira remains confident that with the right steps, the region’s cricketing fortunes can be revived.
