MULTAN – Pakistan faced an uphill task to win the second Test against the West Indies when they were reduced to 76/4 at Stumps on the second day on Sunday.
Vice-captain Saud Shakeel and night watchman Kashif Ali will resume batting tomorrow, needing 178 runs to win the second Test on a spin-friendly surface.
As many as 14 wickets fell for 320 runs after 20 wickets fell for 317 runs on Saturday.
After securing a slender nine runs first-innings lead, the West Indies delivered a much-improved performance in their second outing, posting 244 all-out in two sessions. Commencing their run-chase after tea with a target of 254, Pakistan recovered from five for two in 16 balls to finish the day at 76 for 4 in 24 overs.
Pakistan captain Shan Masood was the first batter to be dismissed when he missed a straight delivery and was adjudged leg-before off off-spinner Kevin Sinclair. Shan’s opening partner Mohammad Hurraira soon followed, attempting a reverse sweep off left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie, only to be trapped in front of the stumps. Kamran Ghulam’s uncomfortable 29-ball stay ended when he tried one shot too many off Jomel Warrican and was caught at cover.
Pakistan suffered a major setback shortly before stumps when Babar Azam was caught at forward short-leg off Sinclair, leaving the team at 71 for 4. Babar, who had looked solid for his 67-ball 31, failed to control the spin and bounce from Sinclair, putting Pakistan in a precarious position.
Earlier, Pakistan’s left-arm spinner Noman Ali followed up his six for 41 in the first innings with four for 80 in the second, finishing with match figures of 36.1-3-121-10. This was the second time Noman took 10 or more wickets in a match, the first being his 11 for 147 against England at the same venue three months ago.
Noman’s scalps included West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite, who top-scored with 52 from 74 balls, including four fours and two sixes.
After Noman spun out the top order, off-spinner Sajid Khan cleaned up the lower middle order, snapping up 4 for 76 after taking 2 for 64 in the first innings. Sajid’s second-inning victims included Amir Jangoo (30), Kevin Sinclair (28), Gudakesh Motie (18), and Jomel Warrican (18).
