The 5 top wicket-takers in Pakistan v West Indies Tests

Wasim Akram celebrates
44 of Wasim Akram's 414 Test wickets came against the West Indies in Pakistan.

With the West Indies in Pakistan for their first series against Pakistan in Pakistan since 2006 it’s worth looking back in time to see which bowlers have taken the most wickets in encounters between these sides.

Perhaps more than any other teams in the world these are two sides that are famed for their fast-bowling histories.

It’s no surprise that the top five list is dominated by legendary quicks from the past – let’s look at the list to see the bowlers who have dominated this fixture in the past.

5. Abdul Qadir – 28 wickets at 27.03

The only spinner on the list, Qadir was a leg-spinning great. With a career average of 32.80, his average at home against the West Indies is markedly better at 27.03. Qadir played seven games against the Windies between 1980 and 1990 with a best innings return of six for 16.

4. Imran Khan – 32 wickets at 15.28

Mr Pakistan – as if Khan needed to underscore his credentials as one of the greatest all-rounders of all time, he also featured on the list of leading run scorers from ties between the two cricketing powers.

At an average of 15.28 there are very few regular bowlers who can claim a better average than Khan in games between these two sides. He is certainly the best on this top five list.

3. Courtney Walsh – 33 wickets at 21.90

An enduring legend, Walsh is a fast bowler who simply went on and on. He is seventh on the list of most balls bowled in a career, 10th on the list of most runs conceded in a career and top of the list of best bowling return by a captain.

With 33 wickets from just nine games, it’s safe to say that Walsh enjoyed his time in Pakistan.

Also read: 7 highest run-scorers in Pakistan v West Indies Tests

2. Malcolm Marshall – 35 wickets at 21.45

Another on the list of legendary West Indian quicks, Malcolm Marshall didn’t have the height of the likes of Walsh, Curtley Ambrose or Joel Garner, but he was fast and accurate and lethal with a skiddy action and an incredible outswinger.

Marshall bowled in 19 innings in Pakistan, returning best figures of five for 33 in Lahore in 1986 in a low scoring game that saw the West Indies win by an innings and 10 runs after Marshall and Walsh skittled the home side for scores of 131 and 77 respectively.

1. Wasim Akram (44 wickets at 16.00)

On his day Wasim Akram was simply unplayable. Bowling with extreme pace and prodigious swing, there were times when Akram could be a little wild, but more of than not, he was a bowler to be feared.

Akram played just eight times at home against the West Indies, but he was prolific in those games, twice bagging five-wicket hauls and returning best match figures of nine for 89 in the drawn Lahore Test of 1990. For fans of great bowling this 1990 Test featured two of the greatest attacks of all time.

Pakistan had Akram and Imran Khan opening the bowling followed by Waqar Younis and Abdul Qadir. The West Indies meanwhile had Curtley Ambrose and Ian Bishop opening the bowling with Walsh and Malcolm Marshall as first changes.

Read next: Test cricket’s most prolific bowler-fielder combinations