WINDIES WALLOPED
Yasir shah completed a six-wicket haul to spearhead Pakistan to a massive seven-wicket victory over the West indies on the final day of the first Test on Tuesday. Trailing on the first innings by 121 runs and resuming at the overnight position of 93 for four, the home side were dismissed for 152 after less than two hours’ play at sabina Park in Jamaica.
needing just 32 runs for a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series, the tourists lost three wicket before posting 36 runs in 10.5 overs. any expectation of Pakistan knocking off the required runs swiftly were ended by the dismissals of ahmed shehzad and azhar ali in successive overs. shehzad edged a catch to wicketkeeper dowrich off Gabriel while ali played on to Joseph.
Having taken the first four wickets late on the fourth evening, leg-spinner shah was kept waiting for more success at the start of play on the fifth day as the visitors’ faster bowlers continued the demolition job by taking the next four wickets.
However, shah, who bowled unchanged from one end throughout the morning’s play, was not to be denied another five-wicket innings haul. He wrapped up the innings with the wickets of tailenders alzarri Joseph and shannon Gabriel in the space of four deliveries in his 22nd over, finishing with the excellent innings figures of six for 63 and a match haul of eight for 154.
On monday, captain misbah-ul-Haq became the first Pakistan batsman left stranded on an unbeaten 99 in a Test.
misbah was denied his 11th career ton when number 11 mohammad abbas was adjudged lbw for 1 to end a valuable 34-run 10th wicket stand.
The 42-year-old misbah, who will retire after the current three Test series, is the sixth player to finish a Test on 99 not out and the first since south african andrew Hall in 2003.
misbah’s disappointment at failing to get to his century would have been eased by the fact he helped his team to a first-innings lead of 121.
misbah patiently faced 223 balls to top-score for Pakistan, while three others also notched half-centuries, including younis Khan (52), who on sunday became the first Pakistan batsman to reach 10,000 career Test runs. —