Test cricket's top 10 dead rubber victories

#10 West Indies beat Pakistan by 5 wickets - Sharjah, 2016

Ever since Pakistan made UAE their 'home' to play cricket in, they have virtually been unbeaten. Having won the series against a West Indies side whose ineptitude of playing top-level Test cricket was questioned heavily, the 3rd and the final match of the 2016 series in Sharjah was hardly given any attention. Pakistani fans would have already started rejoicing, a 3-0 whitewash was guaranteed.

However, as the match unfolded, West Indies seemed to have found a new lease of life. Young opener Kraigg Braithwaite became the first opening batsman in the history of Test cricket to remain unbeaten in both innings of the match, with scores of 142* and 60*. Leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo was another top contributor with 7 wickets in the game, while captain Jason Holder joined the party with 5 wickets in the second innings.

All this made a star-studded Pakistani batting line-up featuring the likes of Asad Shafiq, Younis and Misbah ul Haq, collapse. Despite some nerves in their run chase of 153, the Windies pulled off a 5-wicket win. This was a rare away win and their first since May 2015.

Did the West Indies open the floodgates for other teams to consider Pakistan beatable in the UAE? Possibly.