Abdullah Shafique starred with an unbeaten 160 as Pakistan took a handy 43-run lead over the West Indies on day three of the second Test at Queen’s Park Oval on Tuesday.
The visitors, who resumed their first innings from 333/6 after the Lunch break through centurion Shafique and No 8 batter Sajid Khan, could add 54 more to their total for the remaining four wickets and were thus bowled out for 387 in 115 overs.
Shafique and Sajid started the second session dominantly and added to West Indies’ frustration by stretching their seventh-wicket partnership to 59 runs until Jayden Seales gave the home side a much-needed breakthrough by getting the latter caught behind.
Sajid remained a notable run-getter for Pakistan with a 72-ball 30, comprising four boundaries.
Following his dismissal, Shafique shared a brief 17-run partnership for the eighth wicket with Ali Usman, who made a 21-ball 10 before falling victim to Jomel Warrican in the 115th over.
Warrican struck twice more in the eventful over, cleaning up Ubaid Shah and Mohammad Ali, both ducks, to draw curtains on Pakistan’s innings as Shafique finished the touring side’s top-scorer with an unbeaten 160 off 323 deliveries, studded with 15 fours and three sixes.
The left-arm spinner spearheaded West Indies’ bowling charge in the first innings with sensational figures of 6/112 in 46 overs, followed by Shamar Joseph, who picked up two, while Seales chipped in with one scalp.
Earlier, Pakistan suffered a brief middle-order collapse, which saw them lose three more wickets in quick succession following captain Babar Azam’s dismissal, and closed the opening session at 333/6.
Pakistan resumed their response from 266/6 through captain Babar Azam and Shafique at the commencement of the ongoing third day, but the pair failed to extend their dominance over the West Indies’ bowling attack and could add 25 more to their overnight partnership.
The crucial stand had an abrupt end as a mix-up between Babar and Shafique, followed by a direct hit from Brandon King, in just the ninth over of the day, saw the end of the Pakistan captain, who walked back after scoring 88 off 147 deliveries, comprising 10 fours and a six.
Pakistan then suffered two more setbacks in quick succession as debutant Awais Zafar and batting all-rounder Salman Ali Agha fell victim to Jomel Warrican and Shamar Joseph in the span of just six deliveries, resulting in the touring side slipping to 286/5.
Following the back-to-back setbacks, wicketkeeper batter Mohammad Rizwan joined mainstay Shafique in the middle, and the duo helped Pakistan breach the 300-run barrier by putting together a 25-run partnership, which culminated with the former being cleaned up by Warrican after scoring 18.