Pakistan eye history in Test series against WI

PROVIDENCE, May 10 (AFP): Pakistan are looking to become the latest international side to create history on Caribbean soil, when they begin their search for a maiden Test series victory against West Indies, starting Thursday at the Guyana National Stadium. On six previous visits, starting back in 1958, the Pakistanis have come awfully close, but they have failed each time. The visitors share the unenviable record of being one of the two Test-playing nations not to hold a Test series victory in the Caribbean along with Sri Lanka. Pakistan have won just four of the 21 Tests they have played in the Caribbean, but there is huge optimism that Misbah-ul-Haq's side, brimming with confidence having won the preceding One-day International series 3-2, can put this little matter to rest. The Pakistanis have far fewer concerns about their line-up than their opponents. Though they have lost former captain Younis Khan to a family bereavement, there are strong signs that the batting still has backbone with the likes of Misbah, Mohammad Hafeez, and Umar Akmal. The visitors' bowling has been boosted with the arrival of Umar Gul, whose fast bowling will give the attack a greater edge, but the spin bowling of Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman, as well as Hafeez could prove decisive against typically leaden-footed West Indies batsmen.