Pakistan crush WI in three days

MULTAN, Pakistan (CMC):

Pakistan’s spinning duo of Sajid Khan and Abrar Ahmed bamboozled West Indies’ batsmen to bowl their side to a comprehensive 127-run victory inside three days at the Multan Cricket Stadium yesterday.

Player of the Match Khan grabbed five wickets, and Ahmed snared four wickets, and the pair overshadowed a career-best bowling performance by West Indies leg spinner Jomel Warrican on a day that saw 17 wickets tumble.

Warrican’s superb 7-32, which saw him end with match figures of 10-101, earlier, had instigated a Pakistan middle-order collapse that resulted in them losing their last seven wickets for 48 runs after they resumed on 109 for three at the start of the day.

Warrican struck with the day’s first delivery by having Saud Shakeel caught at midwicket by Justin Greaves, and then Mohammed Rizwan edged him to first slip, where he was caught by Kavem Hodge to make the score 113 for five.

The leg spinner also trapped Kamran Ghulam and Noman Ali leg before wicket for 27 and nine, respectively, and had Khan caught at backward point by skipper Kraig Brathwaite as Pakistan were dismissed for 157 in the morning session, giving West Indies a challenging 251 runs to win on a turning pitch.

Khan made sure the contest was effectively over by the lunch break, running through the Windies’ top order and capturing the first four wickets.

Brathwaite was the first to go after scoring 12, caught at midwicket as he tried to hit him over the infield.

Keacy Carty made just six before his intended sweep lobbed into the air after hitting his glove to give the wicketkeeper an easy catch, and Kavem Hodge was bowled for a duck when Khan’s delivery outside off stump turned back sharply to creep between bat and pad, leaving the visitors 32 for three.

Opener Mikyle Louis was also bowled for 13 as he charged down the track at the off spinner before Nomad Ali had Justin Greaves adjudged leg before wicket for six as the West Indies limped to the break at 54 for five.

Alick Athanaze was the only bright spark among the batters, with his 55 being the lone form of resistance against Pakistan’s spinners.

The diminutive left-hander shared a 41-run partnership with debutant Tevin Imlach to help frustrate Pakistan’s bowlers if only for a while.

Ahmed eventually broke the stand by having Imlach caught behind for 14 with a delivery that pitched on middle and spun away from him.

Athanaze brought up his fourth Test half-century off 49 balls soon after by driving Ali through extra cover for four.

The match ended in swift fashion soon after, though, with the West Indies losing their last four wickets without a run being added.

The second Test bowls off on January 25 at the same venue.