West Indies all-rounder Justin Greaves etched his name into the record books by becoming the first bowler in Test cricket history to take wickets in five consecutive maiden overs during the opening Test against Pakistan in Tarouba, Trinidad and Tobago.
The 32-year-old produced a match-turning spell of 5 for 27 on the third day, helping dismiss Pakistan for 282 in reply to West Indies’ first-innings total of 311.
Greaves broke the previous record of four consecutive wicket maidens, set by former England fast bowler Stuart Broad against South Africa in Johannesburg in 2016. Playing only his 17th Test, the Barbadian also registered the first five-wicket haul of his Test career.
Pakistan appeared firmly in control at 244-3, with captain Shan Masood scoring a century, before Greaves sparked a dramatic collapse. He dismissed Masood before removing three more batters in successive maiden overs and claimed his fifth wicket shortly after lunch to complete the historic sequence.
Speaking after the day’s play, Greaves credited captain Roston Chase for encouraging him to remain patient and disciplined. He described the performance as a special milestone, while stressing that there was still plenty of work left in the match.
Despite Greaves’ heroics, Pakistan responded strongly late on the third day, reducing West Indies to 126-7 in their second innings. However, the hosts still carried an overall lead of 155 runs heading into the fourth day of the Test.
