Pak clinch thriller for 1st Carribean series win
Roseau (Dominica), May 15: Pakistan won a thrilling third and final Test with six balls to spare to clinch a first series victory in the West Indies and give a fitting farewell to the retiring captain Misbah-ul Haq and veteran Younis Khan.
Roston Chase’s unbeaten 101, his second hundred of the series, proved in vain as the home side, set a target of 303 at Windsor Park in Dominica, slipped to 93/6 before the lower order almost rescued a dramatic draw.
“This was just incredible,” said a breathless Misbah after Shannon Gabriel dragged a wide delivery from Yasir Shah onto his stumps with just six balls left in the game to trigger Pakistani celebrations as the West Indies were dismissed for 202 to lose the series 2-1.
“There were so many things happening in that last session — dropped catches, appeals, no-ball dismissals — it looked for a while as if it wasn’t going to happen.
“I am thankful for myself, the team and all supporters of Pakistan cricket that we were able to pull it off.”
Chase, who also top scored in the first innings with 69 and earned the man-of-thematch award, was the prime beneficiary of those near-misses. Pakistan 1st Innings: 376 West Indies 1st Innings: 247 Pakistan 2nd Innings: 174/ 8 decl. West Indies 2nd Innings (o/n 7/ 1) K. Brathwaite c Ali b Shah 6, K. Powell c Masood b Shah 4, S. Hetmyer b Amir 25, S. Hope lbw b Ali 17, R. Chase (not out) 101, V. Singh c Azam b Shah 2, S. Dowrich c Azam b Shah 2, J. Holder lbw b Ali 22, D. Bishoo c Masood b Abbas 3, A. Joseph c Ahmed b Ali 5, S. Gabriel b Shah 4 Extras: (nb3, w2, b6) Total: (in 96 overs) 202 FoW: 1-7, 2-22, 3-47, 4-66, 5-76, 6-93, 7- 151, 8-181, 9197. Bowling: Amir 15-8-22-1, Abbas 20-9-31-1, Shah 37 13-92-5, Ali 20-7-33-3, Ali 2-0-3-0, Shafiq 2-0-15-0 11.
Twice he saw caught-andbowled attempts by Hasan Ali put down and then was reprieved on 91 when an edge to Asad Shafiq at slip off Mohammad Abbas was shown to be off a no-ball.
“I’m really disappointed that we couldn’t hold on for just one more over,” said a crestfallen Chase.
“We have showed that we can compete with the best but it’s up to us to be able to take it all the way. It doesn’t even matter that I got a hundred.”
In the end he completed his third Test century but was left helpless at the nonstriker’s end when Gabriel, who had defended resolutely for 21 balls, inexplicably attempted a wild drive off Shah and dragged the ball back onto his stumps.
Shah finished with 5/92 and a series haul of 25 wickets, the highest of his career, as he took the man of the series award.
From their mid-afternoon perils, a 58-run seventhwicket partnership between Chase and Jason Holder frustrated Pakistan for an hour-and-a-half, until the West Indies captain missed a knee-high full toss from Hasan Ali to be leg before for 22 just after tea.