5 best Test matches of the season

#4 Pakistan vs West Indies at Roseau, 10-14 May 2017

Pakistan gave Misbah and Younis a fitting farewell by winning their first series in the West Indies

Closeness of result: 5/5Balance between bat and ball: 4/5Context: 4/5Standard of Play: 3/5 Aggression: 2/5 Last game of the Test season and the entire cricketing community had turned its attention to the IPL. Well, not everybody.

In Roseau, Dominica, a packed stadium bid adieu to Pakistan’s, arguably, greatest captain and their greatest batsman on a historic day. What didn’t this game have?

Signature Azhar Ali gritty century, two guards of honour, trademark Pakistani collapse and some beautiful spin bowling. With about a day left to bat, chasing 302, the West Indies found themselves crumbling at 47/3 when he-of-incredible-fighting-spirit, Roston Chase, walked out to bat.

In an incredible day of grinding, he found himself with the number 11, Shannon Gabriel, with 7 balls left in the Test match. All 9 fielders were around the bat and Gabriel inexplicably looked to smash a Yasir Shah googly out of the stadium and chopped on. Misbah had won Pakistan their first Test series in the West Indies.

From the incredibly close finish to the fact that this was the last time we would see Misbah and Younis play, it was a game that played to one’s emotions. The presentation ceremony was somewhat a cross between a funeral and a wedding, mourning for Pakistan’s dearly departed stars, mixed with celebrations for their victory (and their fielding wasn’t half-bad either).

For the West Indies, it was heartbreak once again for Jason Holder, but not without some happy takeaways: they had found a reliable all-rounder in Roston Chase, who took 5 wickets and scored 170 runs in the game to earn the man of the match award. It was not just a great day of cricket, but a great day for cricket.