5 Talking Points from West Indies' incredible Test victory over Pakistan at Sharjah

#1 An oasis which could not have come sooner

West Indies have a reasonable core of players to shape into a resolute side

Prior to this match, West Indies had played 39 Tests away from home during the last ten years against all teams excluding Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. However, they could only manage a solitary victory (against South Africa at Port Elizabeth, 2007) from all those matches. Their last 20 Tests both home and away against the other top eight teams had brought them only one win (against England at Barbados, 2015).

For such a team to defeat the much higher ranked Pakistan on a typically sluggish surface at UAE could prove to be a major fillip in their pathway towards parity. With Bangladesh registering their maiden victory against England in the recently completed drawn series and possible Test statuses to Afghanistan as well as Ireland, West Indies clawing their way back should augur well for the strength of Test cricket.