It was a setback for Australia and a historic first for the West Indies. For the second time in the last three years, Australia’s Gabba fortress was breached as the Men from the Caribbean sealed a stunning win over the Baggy Greens in the thrilling 2nd Test on Sunday. At a time when the cricket fraternity was busy watching India’s high-scoring contest against England, Kraigg Brathwaite and Co. pulled off one of the biggest upsets in the ongoing edition of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) at The Gabba.
Playing with an injured toe, Shamar Joseph managed to crush Australia with his match-winning spell against the hosts in the 2nd Test. Shamar cleaned up Josh Hazlewood in the 50th over to stun the hosts in their backyard. Joseph’s magical figures paved the way for the West Indies to register their first win over Australia in 20 back-to-back Tests. Joseph picked up seven wickets in 11.5 overs to ensure the Windies registered an eight-run win over Australia in the pink-ball Test match.
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West Indies break multiple records with historic win
The West Indies ended their wait of 27 years to beat Australia in the longest and oldest format of the game. Before the historic win at Gabba, the Men from the Caribbean last defeated Australia in the 1997 season. The visitors also ended the series level pegging in Brisbane with the memorable win. West Indies have also become the first team to upstage Australia in a day-and-night test match. The West Indies side has ended Australia’s 11-game unbeaten run in the pink-ball Tests. Prior to their Gabba triumph, the West Indies had to complete a world record run chase of 418 to beat Australia in 1997.
What happened in Test series decider at Gabba?
Batting first in the series decider, West Indies posted 311 in 108 overs before Australia declared its innings on 289-9 in 53 overs. Kirk McKenzie’s 41-run knock and Alick Athanaze’s handy 35 lifted the visitors to 193 in their second essay. For Australia, Steve Smith remained unbeaten at 91, although the star batter ran out of partners on Day 4 at Brisbane. Bowling through pain, West Indies speedster Joseph claimed six wickets to turn the tie on its head in a single session. Joseph was named the Player of the Match for his bowling heroics.
Vikram Sharma is a globe-trotting journalist with a global perspective on international events. His articles offer readers a global perspective on international events, exploring complex geopolitical issues and providing insights into the world’s most pressing challenges.
