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West Indies bowl out Pakistan for 154, secure first-innings lead

25 January 2025
This content originally appeared on Jamaica News | Loop News.
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The West Indies secured a narrow nine-run lead over Pakistan on Saturday as spinners took centre stage on the opening day of the second Test in Multan.

Jomel Warrican took 4-43 and Gudakesh Motie 3-49 to help bowl out Pakistan for 154 in response to the West Indies' first-innings total of 163.

Earlier, Noman Ali made Pakistan history with a hat-trick, but the hosts failed to capitalise.

The visiting Windies were bowled in the opening session as Pakistan's spinners shared nine of the 10 wickets to fall, the other going to fast-bowling debutant Kashif Ali, who removed Mikyle Louis.

Debutant Amir Jangoo was then struck plumb in front by Sajid Khan before the tourists lost five wickets in 13 balls, reducing them from 32-2 to 38-7.

Noman was the catalyst of that collapse, becoming the first Pakistan spinner to take a Test hat-trick by removing Justin Greaves, Tevin Imlach and Kevin Sinclair.

Kemar Roach and Motie put on 41 for the ninth wicket before a missed sweep from the fast bowler capped a five-wicket haul for Noman, who added Motie for his sixth dismissal after some late hitting.

Motie's 55 and an unbeaten 36 from Jomel Warrican offered the Windies hope, which continued into the Pakistan innings as Roach removed both openers, Muhammad Hurraira and Shan Masood.

After dominating with the bat, Motie dismissed Babar Azam for just one and claimed the scalp of Kamran Ghulam, though Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan eased the pressure after Pakistan slipped to 51-4.

However, Shakeel was dismissed for 32 by Warrican, who then had Rizwan stumped on 49 and Noman caught for a duck before Motie sent Salman Agha's stumps flying.

Warrican collected his fourth wicket by bowling Abrar Ahmed before Kashif Ali was run out, leaving Pakistan nine runs short of the Windies' first-innings total.

Data Debrief: Windies' tail wags again

West Indies' bottom three made history in the last Test when they became the three highest scorers in an innings for the first time ever, and they repeated the feat this Test.

Motie was the chief destructor on Saturday, crafting a well-worked 55 from 87 deliveries to go alongside Warrican's 40-ball 36, which included two maximums over the boundary ropes.

Sajid, who also claimed the wicket of Alick Athanaze, took most of the lower-order pain after going for 64 runs from his 14 overs, at a slightly expensive economy of 4.57.

Warrican, meanwhile, was not just satisfied with his late big-hitting heroics, coming to the fore with a fine display of spin bowling to leave the second Test finely poised after the opening day.