Pakistan close on series-levelling win against West Indies

Pakistan’s spinners put their team on course for a series-levelling victory as the West Indies stumbled to 103 for six — a lead of just 60 runs -– on an eventful third day of the second and final Test in Trinidad on Tuesday.

Abdullah Shafique’s unbeaten 160 ensured the visitors did not completely squander an excellent overnight platform in eventually getting to a first-innings total of 387.

Sajid Khan then made his second meaningful contribution of the day in taking four second-innings wickets, while Ali Usman claimed two, including home captain Roston Chase caught-and-bowled off the final ball of the day.

First-innings top-scorer Justin Greaves will carry the fight for the West Indies into the fourth morning with uncertainty over the availability to bat of regular opener Brandon King.

On a deteriorating pitch offering sharp turn and variable bounce, West Indies left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican was as much in his element as 18 months earlier against these same opponents in Multan.

Here, his haul of six for 112, including three wickets in four balls to wrap up the Pakistan innings on the stroke of tea, would have been a portent of things to come.

Yet having started the day in the comfortable position of 266 for two and within sight of the West Indies first-innings total of 344, it took an error of judgement from Pakistan captain Babar Azam to trigger a gradual slide as the visitors’ last eight wickets fell for 106 runs.

Having put the West Indies bowlers to the sword with delightful, confident strokeplay on the second afternoon, Babar was a picture of strokeless paralysis at the start of the day, as if the prospect of a first Test century in almost four years had gotten the better of him.

He managed to eke out a couple of runs to add to his overnight 86 before taking off for a non-existent single and, sent back by Shafique, dived desperately but in vain as the direct hit at the striker’s end by King from point found Babar short of his ground.

West Indian delight at Babar’s dismissal was transformed to concern over the welfare of King, who remained prone on the outfield after effecting the dismissal.

After several minutes of assessment of his situation he was stretchered off with what was later diagnosed to be back spasms.

That unexpected breakthrough triggered a mini-slide as three wickets fell for five runs, fast bowler Shamar Joseph and Warrican claiming a wicket each.

Khan offered a measure of stability with Shafique, the pair putting on 59 for the seventh wicket before another pacer, Jayden Seales, removed the lower-order batsman for 30.

With the door open to a vulnerable tail, Warrican wasted no time in wrapping up the innings, taking three wickets in four balls with Shafique stranded at the non-striker’s end and leaving Pakistan to rue opportunities missed to earn a much more significant lead.

‘Excellent’ Warrican 

Shafique’s innings occupied more than seven-and-half hours during which he faced 323 deliveries, striking 15 fours and three sixes.

“Jomel was really excellent for us today, staying at the stumps and finishing off the innings well,” said West Indies bowling coach Ravi Rampaul.

“At this stage though, and given the way the pitch is playing, if we can somehow push the lead to 150 we would have a chance.”

Khan was at his most rampant in the final session, accounting for Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Amir Jangoo swiftly before adding Shai Hope and nightwatchman Seales to his list of victims.

Chase surveyed the carnage from the other end only to succumb to the constant pressure himself, the reaction of the home skipper to his demise almost a mirror of Babar’s disconsolate trek to the pavilion more than seven hours earlier.

Usman also posed a constant threat, the left-arm spinner having earlier removed Kavem Hodge, whose 34 is the top score so far in an innings in danger of going into complete freefall.