Pakistan were boosted by a brilliant spell by Shaheen Afridi and they scored at a quick rate as they set up a winning position against West Indies heading into the final day of the Jamaica Test.
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Shaheen Afridi’s brilliant spell of 6/51, combined with Pakistan scoring at a rate of 6.11 in the second innings, has put the West Indies on the back foot in the second and final Test at Jamaica. By the end of the day, West Indies needed 329 runs to clinch the series but Pakistan needed nine wickets. West Indies will have to achieve the highest successful run-chase in history at Sabina Park if they have to win the series 2-0.
West Indies had made a great start to the day thanks to a solid partnership with Jermaine Blackwood and Nkrumah Bonner sharing a solid partnership. After the early fall of Alzarri Joseph to Shaheen Afridi, Bonner and Blackwood tried to counter the Pakistan bowling. Blackwood hit two boundaries off Shaheen and Bonner also looked to take the attack to the Pakistan bowlers. Blackwood and Bonner continued to bat confidently.
The partnership went past fifty and West Indies were in a good position. But, in the 39th over, Mohammad Abbas turned the match completely in Pakistan’s favor. He sent back Bonner and Kyle Mayers in quick succession but Shaheen dealt the big blow by getting Blackwood for 33.
Abbas and Shaheen continued to peg the West Indies back with regular strikes but Jason Holder kept West Indies afloat. Holder hit a six before lunch off Shaheen and he responded with two more fours off Abbas. The right-hander hit another six but Shaheen took his five-wicket haul by sending back the Windies skipper. Roach hit another six off Shaheen but the bowler ended with his best haul of 6/51.
Having taken a big lead of 152, Pakistan was in charge now. Abid Ali hit three boundaries in one over bowled by Jayden Seales. Pakistan raced to 50 in just six overs, playing the Test match like a Twenty20 match. Imran Butt and Abid Ali continued striking boundaries at will before Alzarri Joseph sent back Abid for 29.
Kyle Mayers sent back Imran Butt as he missed out on a chance to hit a fifty. Azhar Ali and Babar Azam looked to steady the flow of runs. But before the tea break, Azhar fell for 22. Hasan Ali hit a couple of sixes and Babar Azam also responded with a four and six to boost Pakistan to 141/3 in 20 overs. But, Holder was once again among the wickets as he sent back Hasan Ali and Faheem Ashraf in successive overs. Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam got Pakistan past 150 and once Babar fell for 33, Pakistan declared for the second time in the match at 176/6.
Chasing 329 for a series win, West Indies started much more cautiously in the second innings. Pakistan bowlers bowled with discipline but Kieran Powell and Kraigg Brathwaite started calmly. But, in the 13th over, West Indies lost a wicket against the run of play. Powell wanted a third and he reached the crease. However, he did not ground his bat and was run out in the most unfortunate circumstances.
West Indies won the first Test by one wicket in Sabina Park and they will be aiming to win a series against Pakistan after 21 years. The last time West Indies won a Test series against Pakistan was in 2000 when they won the Antigua Test by one wicket.
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