ABU DHABI: Pakistan have won the toss in the second Test against West Indies being played in Abu Dhabi and elected to bat first.
At the toss, Pakistan skipper Misbahul Haq said: “The pitch looks dry, cracks are open, will slow down in the second innings. It is going to help spinners. The team will find themselves comfortable with the red ball. The pink ball had uncertainty about swing. He informed that Babar Azam is out, Younis Khan is back. Rahat Ali and Zulfikar Babar are also back.”
In the first Test in Dubai, Pakistan dominated the first three days after scoring 579-3 declared, courtesy of opener Azhar Ali’s epic career best 302 not out, and then dismissing West Indies for 357.
But leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo turned the match upside down with career best figures of 8-49 to wreck Pakistan for a paltry 123 in their second innings, giving West Indies a target of 346 to win.
Darren Bravo batted out of his skin and when the last session started West Indies needed 114 runs in a possible of 38 overs with Bravo unbeaten on 102 and ready to launch an assault in the final hour.
It needed a leaping catch by leg-spinner Yasir Shah to dismiss Bravo for 116 and 26 runs later Pakistan wrapped up the match to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
The third and final Test will be played in Sharjah from October 30-November 3.
Pakistan Team:
Sami Aslam, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Misbah-ul-Haq*, Sarfraz Ahmed†, Mohammad Nawaz , Yasir Shah, Sohail Khan, Zulfiqar Babar, Rahat Ali
West Indies Team:
KC Brathwaite, LR Johnson, DM Bravo, MN Samuels, J Blackwood, RL Chase, SD Hope†, JO Holder*, D Bishoo, ML Cummins, ST Gabriel
