Rampaul Urges Greater Consistency from West Indies Pacers as Pakistan Take Control

West Indies bowling coach Ravi Rampaul has called for greater consistency from his pace attack after Pakistan gained the upper hand on the second day of the second Test at Queen's Park Oval.

Pakistan ended the day on 266 for 2, trailing West Indies' first-innings total of 344 by just 78 runs, thanks largely to an unbeaten 168-run partnership between Abdullah Shafique and Babar Azam.

Reflecting on the day's play, Rampaul acknowledged that the pitch had become easier for batting compared to the opening day, reducing the assistance available for the fast bowlers while still offering some help to the spinners.

"The pitch got a little flatter, and there was less assistance for the faster bowlers," Rampaul said. "There was still something there for the spinners, but as a bowling group, our inconsistency hurt us again."

West Indies' bowlers struggled to maintain pressure as Pakistan scored at a brisk rate of 4.03 runs per over, significantly quicker than the hosts' scoring rate of 3.25 in their first innings.

Rampaul stressed that the fast bowlers must improve their accuracy and discipline, particularly in conditions where movement off the pitch is limited.

"Our consistency as a bowling group needs to improve," he said. "When the pitch or the ball isn't offering much, bowling consistently is what creates wicket-taking opportunities. The faster bowlers need to dry up the runs and allow our spinners more time to attack."

Pakistan's commanding position was built on the composed partnership between Shafique and Babar, who combined disciplined defence with positive stroke play to frustrate the West Indies attack.

"They batted really well," Rampaul said. "They defended the good deliveries, punished the loose ones, and ran exceptionally well between the wickets. They never allowed our bowlers to settle, and that's how they built such a strong partnership."

Having played much of his domestic cricket at Queen's Park Oval, Rampaul remains hopeful that the surface will deteriorate as the match progresses, bringing West Indies' spin bowlers more into the contest.

"From my experience at this ground, the pitch usually breaks up as the game goes on," he said. "Hopefully, it deteriorates enough to provide our spinners with more assistance over the remaining days."

With Pakistan well placed and only 78 runs behind with eight wickets in hand, West Indies will be hoping improved discipline from their bowlers and increasing assistance for spin can help them regain control of the Test.