Chase disappointed as Windies let series slip

West Indies Captain Roston Chase admitted there was a sense of disappointment after his side failed to capitalise on its first-Test victory, allowing Pakistan to level the two-match series 1-1 with a convincing win in the second Test at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba.
Having entered the match with a 1-0 lead, the West Indies needed only a victory or a draw to secure the series. However, Pakistan produced a dominant all-round performance to square the contest, leaving Chase frustrated by his team’s inability to finish the job.
“Yeah, disappointing because we had a good start to the series, 1-0 up coming into this Test, and we were looking for a win or a draw to keep that advantage, but we didn’t see it through, so it’s a bit disappointing with the result,” Chase said after the match.
The West Indies Captain also reflected on his team’s approach with the ball, believing they were slow to adjust to conditions that offered little assistance to the fast bowlers.
Chase explained that his bowlers persisted with an aggressive approach instead of exercising patience and building pressure, a strategy he felt ultimately allowed Pakistan’s batters to dictate proceedings.
“I think we took a bit too long to adapt to the conditions. The wicket wasn’t one that was assisting the fast bowlers like at Brian Lara. I think it was a case where we needed to be more patient and just try to defend one side of the wicket and squeeze them into making a mistake.
“But we still tried to blast them out, per se, and I think that gave them too many runs before we really locked it down, stuck to the plan and became a bit more disciplined,” he said.
Pakistan recovered strongly after losing the opening Test, with key batting performances and disciplined bowling helping the visitors secure victory and ensure the series ended all square at 1-1.
Despite the disappointing finish, Chase and his team will now turn their attention to building on the positives from the series while addressing the shortcomings exposed during the decisive second Test.