Published: Oct 30, 2016, 04:16 PM (IST)
Edited: Oct 30, 2016, 04:34 PM (IST)
Younis Khan and Sami Aslam stitched up a 105-run stand after Shannon Gabriel put Pakistan on the back foot with his twin strikes in the very first over. After winning the toss, Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq opted to bat first on a track that had everything to offer for the batsmen, looking to post a mammoth first-innings total on the scorecard. All the same, it did not pan out as expected, for the triple-centurion Azar Ali and Asad Shafiq were dismissed in the very first over. While Azar edged one in the slip cordon, Shafiz was adjudged lbw. However, Shafiq survived just one delivery before being trapped. FULL CRICKET SCORECARD: Pakistan vs West Indies, 2nd Test at Abu Dhabi
West Indian captain Jason Holder successfully challenged Australian umpire Paul Reiffel’s not out decision. The onus was then on the youngster Aslam and stalwart Younis. However, the pacers extracted extra bounce and seam movement, making it difficult for the Pakistani batsmen to find their feet. The pace duo of Alzarri Joseph and Gabriel troubled the batsmen with fierce pace and swing. More importantly, the pair made sure they keep a lid on the runs, making Younis and Aslam work hard to scale up the runs column. All the same, Pakistan cautiously played their strokes, not willing to give away easy wickets.
However, as the day progressed the track lost the venom, as Younis and Aslam churned out runs with ease. Younis looked in ominous touch yet again, as he scored his 31st half-century. In fact, his conversion rate is baffling, for he has 34 hundreds to his name, equalling Sunil Gavaskar and Steve Waugh’s record. Nonetheless, as fate would have it, the 39-year-old played a slog-sweep, eventually top-edging it to Johnson at mid-wicket.
In came Misbah-ul-Haq at No. 5. And when he is at the crease, there has to be some drama around.
Gabriel trapped Misbah in front with a sharp in-swinger. On-field umpire Reiffel turned down the decision, which made captain Holder take a review. The TV umpire stayed with Reiffel’s decision. All the same, the replay suggested the ball did not hit the inside edge and would go on to hit the stumps. Amidst all this, Carlos Brathwaite and other West Indies staff appeared livid at the umpire’s call.
However, Aslam scored his fifth half-century, helping Pakistan steady the ship.
Pakistan eye a series whitewash after winning the first Test in Dubai by 56 runs and the second in Abu Dhabi by 133. This, for that matter, is Misbah’s 49th Test as captain, surpassing Imran Khan’s Pakistan record of 48 Tests as as captain.
Pakistan brought back pacers Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz — rested for the second Test — in place of Sohail Khan and Rahat Ali.
West Indies also made two changes from the Abu Dhabi Test, with fit-again wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich replacing Shai Hope and pacers Joseph coming in for Miguel Cummins.
Brief scores:
Pakistan 148 for 3 (Sami Aslam 72, Younis Khan 51; Shannon Gabriel 2 for 39) vs West Indies
(Kaustubh S. Mayekar, a reporter at CricketCountry, played cricket at U-16 level. Like his idol Rahul Dravid, he often shadow-practises cricket shots. His Twitter handle is @kaumedy_)
