Pakistan’s Sajid and Abrar demolish West Indies in first Test win

AFP | Multan

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Spinner Sajid Khan took five wickets and Abrar Ahmed another four to guide Pakistan to a 127-run win on the third day of the first Test against West Indies in Multan yesterday.

Sajid took 5-50 for match figures of 9-115, while leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed snared 4-27 as West Indies were dismissed for 123, falling well short of their victory target of 251.

Pakistan’s spinners took all the wickets in West Indies’ second innings, with Noman Ali chipping in with 1-42, as the home side took an early advantage in the two-Test series.

Left-handed batter Alick Athanaze hit 55, the only half-century of the match for the tourists, and added 41 runs for the sixth wicket with Tevin Imlach.

Sajid removed the dangerous Athanaze, while Abrar’s haul included the final wicket of Jomel Warrican.

Left-armer Warrican had led the spin attack for the tourists with a career-best 7-32 as Pakistan were bowled out for 157 in their second innings.

They were the best figures by a West Indian bowler in Pakistan, topping fast bowler Malcolm Marshall’s 5-33 at Lahore in 1986.

Pakistan captain Shan Masood praised his spinners but said he wanted to see an improvement in the side’s batting.

“The spinners were clinical and Abrar along with Noman and Sajid was great,” Masood said.

“Batting was tough on this pitch but we still need to add more runs with the last few wickets and there are improvements to be made.”

His beaten counterpart Kraigg Brathwaite wanted West Indies’ batters to believe in their abilities.

“The batters didn’t play as well as they should have,” Brathwaite said.

“We saw how Alick played so we just have to be brave. We have got one more Test and we have to believe in ourselves.”