Pakistan vs West Indies 1st Test: Where Did Pakistan's Pace Fear Go?

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Pakistan West Indies Test pace bowling legacy Shoaib Akhtar


The Pakistan Times — Islamabad, July 27, 2026

First Test vs West Indies: Pakistan Was Once Feared for Raw Pace, So Where Did That Fear Go?



Pakistan's batters put on a confident display on day two of the first Test against West Indies in Tarouba, reaching 199 for three in reply to West Indies' first-innings total of 311. Yet even as the batting line-up steadied the innings, the day reopened a familiar conversation among Pakistani cricket followers: what happened to the raw, fearsome pace that once defined Pakistani fast bowling on the world stage?
Day Two Scorecard
According to details from the match at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Pakistan closed the second day at 199 for three, with Shan Masood unbeaten on 88 and Salman Ali Agha yet to score. Imam-ul-Haq contributed 63 before falling, Azan Awais was dismissed for a duck, and captain Babar Azam managed 23 before returning to the pavilion. West Indies, having won the toss and opted to bat first, were bowled out for 311 in their first innings, with Pakistan pacer Mohammad Ali picking up four wickets to help restrict the West Indies tail after a comparatively quiet effort from the bowling attack on the opening day.

A Legacy Built on Speed


Pakistan's cricketing identity was, for decades, inseparable from genuine pace. According to Guinness World Records, Shoaib Akhtar holds the record for the fastest delivery ever electronically recorded in the sport, clocking 161.3 km/h against England during the 2003 World Cup at Newlands in Cape Town, a mark that, according to cricket statisticians, has stood unbroken for more than two decades and remains the only delivery officially verified above the 160 km/h threshold. Alongside Akhtar, Wasim Akram is widely regarded by cricket historians as the sport's foremost exponent of swing and reverse swing, a reputation that, combined with Waqar Younis's mastery of the yorker, once made Pakistan's pace attack among the most feared in world cricket.

Where the Pace Has Gone


Followers of the current side have increasingly noted that Pakistan's fast bowlers now rarely approach the speeds once considered a baseline for the national attack, with deliveries frequently sitting closer to the 130-140 km/h range rather than the 145-150 km/h band that bowlers of Akhtar and Akram's generation operated in even outside their fastest spells, according to cricket statisticians who track historical pace data. Former Pakistani pacers, including Akhtar himself, have periodically raised concerns in media interviews about a decline in raw pace development within the country's domestic structure, though views differ among former players and coaches on the exact causes, ranging from workload management and franchise cricket priorities to changes in fitness and coaching methods at the grassroots level.

The Bowling Effort in Tarouba


On this occasion, Pakistan's bowling attack showed signs of improvement as the West Indies innings wore on, with Mohammad Ali's four-wicket haul on day two helping restrict what had been a more comfortable West Indies position overnight. West Indies had resumed the day at 194 for three before slipping to 311 all out, with contributions including a fighting half-century from Shai Hope, who remained unbeaten on 89 before the innings folded.

What Comes Next


Play in the first Test resumes on day three at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, with Pakistan looking to build a first-innings lead behind Shan Masood's overnight knock. According to match officials, the Test is scheduled to run through July 29. The Pakistan Times will continue to provide updates as the match progresses.


Source: BBC Urdu, Arab News

© The Pakistan Times. All rights reserved.

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