MULTAN: Pakistan obtained lead of 202 runs against West Indies on the second day of the first Test at the Multan Cricket Stadium on Saturday after the spin attack led by Sajid Khan and Noman Ali ripped through the visiting side in their first innings.
As the second innings kickstarted, Pakistan’s captain Shan Masood came on to bat with opening batter Muhammad Huraira.
Huraira was dismissed by Jomel Warrican after scoring 29 runs. The spinner struck again and dismissed the opener’s replacement, Babar Azam (five from 11 balls).
Masood was then joined by Kamran Ghulam and the skipper also returned to the dugout after scoring 52 runs, leaving Pakistan at 106-3.
Ghulam batted Saud Shakeel for a few overs before the game was stopped due to bad light. A few moments later, stumps was called, ending the second’s day play abruptly.
Pakistan will continue batting tomorrow as the scoreboard ticks at 109-3.
Earlier, no West Indian batter could make a mark except for tail-ender Jomel Warrican, who scored 31 with the help of four 4s and one maximum.
In Pakistan’s first innings, West Indian spinners Warrican and Kevin Sinclair led a West Indies charge with five wickets between them to dismiss Pakistan in the first session at 230.
Warrican finished with 3-69 and Sinclair 2-61 as Pakistan lost six wickets for just 87 runs after resuming the day on 143-4, following another 30-minute delay because of poor visibility.
Saud Shakeel (84) and Mohammad Rizwan (71) top-scored for the hosts.
Sinclair sparked the batting collapse with Shakeel’s wicket off the first ball after drinks as Pakistan lost four wickets off 28 balls for just 13 runs.
Last to go was Sajid, who hit a boundary and a six in his rapid 18 before Warrican bowled him on the stroke of lunch.
Fast bowler Jayden Seales finished with 3-27, all his wickets coming on Friday.
Overnight batsmen Shakeel and Rizwan cautiously looked to build a competitive total, taking the score to 187 before the wickets began to tumble.
Sinclair drew Shakeel forward on a spinning delivery and the ensuing edge was well taken by wicketkeeper Tevin Imlach.
Shakeel’s 84 off 157 deliveries had six boundaries.
He added an invaluable 141 for the fifth wicket with Rizwan, lifting Pakistan from a precarious 46-4 on day one.
From the other end left-armer Warrican bowled Salman Agha off an inside edge for two while Noman Ali was run out without scoring.
Sinclair then trapped Rizwan leg-before off a missed reverse sweep, turning the not-out decision in his favour after a West Indies review.
Rizwan’s 133-ball stay had nine boundaries.
