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West Indies vs Pakistan, 2nd Test Day 4: Pakistan aim to level the Test series

by Salim Parvez & Cricket World Monday 23 August 2021

Shaheen Afridi Incredible work once again!

©PCB

Such is the modern game that despite the loss of four sessions -including the entire second day – and a number of bad light scenarios, the Test match between West Indies and Pakistan at Kingston, stands set to produce an outright result. At stumps, West Indies were 49-1 in their second innings, needing another 280 runs on the final day.

Match Summary

West Indies 150/10 (51.3 ov) & *49/1 (19 ov)

Pakistan 302/9d (110 ov) & 176/6d (27.2 ov)

Day Break : Day 4 West Indies need 280 runs to win.

SCORECARD

All smiles and why not! ??????#WIvPAK | #HarHaalMainCricket | #BackTheBoysInGreen pic.twitter.com/5bU7LQV1Ot
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) August 23, 2021

West Indies resuming on 39-3 in their first innings needed to consolidate their position and rule out any chance of a Pakistan victory. The tourists’ pacemen gave their side a great chance of levelling the series. Shaheen Afridi was the pick of the bowlers and took his Test best return of 6-51 with able support from Mohammad Abbas, who finished with 3-44. West Indies 143-8 at lunch were all out soon afterwards for 150 and now there was a strong possibility of a result.

Pakistan openers – Abid Ali & Imran Butt – stepped out with a positive intention and without being reckless had put on 52 runs in the first six overs. As the commentators observed, with 152 already in the bank, they were confidence was up and they looked two very different players. Their stand of 70 in 9.3 overs was more than Pakistan team management had expected, at which point Abid was out for 29 (23 balls), caught in slips. His partner Imran was out to a sharp catch at cover point but not before his bright 37 (44 balls) had provided his side with an impetus.

At the fall of the second wicket, Pakistan had a lead of 242 and their aim could have been to get to about 320 before getting West Indies in to bat second time. Captain Babar Azam closed the innings at 176-6 (27.2 overs), following his own dismissal for 33. The declaration arrived at the right time and West Indies were asked to score 329 in possible 122 overs left in the Test match. The odds were stacked against the side batting fourth on a wearing surface but claiming ten wickets will be a challenge for the bowling side. Pakistan bowlers didn’t look as threatening as the first innings and it took a run out to make the breakthrough and now another nine to claim on the final day. Bad light claimed at least 13 possible overs in the evening.

Fall of wickets: First Innings

Pakistan 1-2 (Abid Ali - 0.3 ov), 2-2 (Azhar Ali - 2.3 ov), 3-2 (Imran Butt - 3.5 ov), 4-168 (Babar Azam - 60.4 ov), 5-218 (Faheem Ashraf - 83.6 ov), 6-231 (Mohammad Rizwan - 91.1 ov), 7-231 (Nauman Ali - 91.2 ov), 8-267 (Hasan Ali - 100.4 ov), 9-302 (Shaheen Afridi - 109.2 ov)

Fall of wickets: 1-8 (Kieran Powell - 3.5 ov), 2-9 (Kraigg Brathwaite - 5.3 ov), 3-34 (Roston Chase - 13.3 ov), 4-45 (Alzarri Joseph - 21.1 ov), 5-105 (Nkrumah Bonner - 38.5 ov), 6-105 (Kyle Mayers - 38.6 ov), 7-109 (Jermaine Blackwood - 39.6 ov), 8-116 (Joshua Da Silva - 44.5 ov), 9-143 (Jason Holder - 49.5 ov), 10-150 (Kemar Roach - 51.3 ov)

Fall of wickets: Second Innings

Fall of wickets: 1-70 (Abid Ali - 9.3 ov), 2-90 (Imran Butt - 12.6 ov), 3-107 (Azhar Ali - 17.3 ov), 4-145 (Hasan Ali - 21.2 ov), 5-160 (Faheem Ashraf - 23.6 ov), 6-176 (Babar Azam - 27.2 ov)

Fall of wickets: 1-32 (Kieran Powell - 12.6 ov)

Playing XIs:

West Indies - Kraigg Brathwaite (c), Kieran Powell, Nkrumah Bonner, Kyle Mayers, Roston Chase, Jermaine Blackwood, Joshua Da Silva (wk), Jason Holder, Kemar Roach, Alzarri Joseph, Jayden Seales

Pakistan - Abid Ali, Imran Butt, Azhar Ali, Babar Azam (c), Fawad Alam, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Faheem Ashraf, Naseem Shah, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Abbas, Shaheen Afridi