Jayden Seales’ fourth five-wicket haul in Tests sealed a memorable and historic 90-run victory for West Indies over Pakistan in the opening match at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy here on Tuesday.
In a match that swung back and forth for all four days, Seales’ impressive bowling spell capped off a sensational performance from the home side after they were bowled out for 181 before lunch, setting Pakistan a victory target of 211 runs with a day and a half remaining.
The Trinidadian pacer snared 5-20 from 14.2 testing overs, as the visitors were bundled out for 120 in 40.2 overs, to slump to their eight successive Test defeat away from home.
Resuming the day in real trouble at 126 for seven, tailenders Kemar Roach and Shamar Joseph added 28 valuable runs to extend their overnight partnership to 61 runs.
When Mohammad Ali broke the stand by bowling Joseph for 38, Roach, Jomel Warrican and Jayden Seales together contributed 27 more runs to push the West Indies’ overall lead past the 200-run mark.
Mohammad Abbas, however, claimed the last two wickets of Roach and Warrican to complete his seventh five-wicket haul in Tests and gave Pakistan a realistic chance of victory.
Abbas finished with 5-22 from 15.5 overs, while Mohammad Ali took 2-52 and Khurram Shahzad 2-54.
Pakistan found themselves on the backfoot almost immediately when the ever-dependable Kemar Roach produced a snorter that kissed the gloves of Imam-ul-Haq on the way through to the wicketkeeper in the third over, with five runs on the board.
Azan Awais then suffered his second failure of the match when he chased a wide half-volley from Seales but ended up edging a catch to the keeper to make the score 21 for two.
And when Seales trapped Salman Agha lbw for a duck in his next over, Pakistan was in dire straits at 25 for three, eventually limping to lunch at 28 for three.
Mohammad Rizwan hit Seales for two boundaries on resumption, with captain Babar Azam also showing positive intent by flicking Shamar Joseph to the midwicket boundary.
It took just two balls by first innings hero Justin Greaves to make an impact, with the medium pacer bowling Rizwan for 11 and in his next over, he struck again by trapping Aamer Jamal lbw for a duck to see Pakistan slump to 50 for five.
Pakistan’s position worsened three runs later when Ali Usman’s brief stay at the crease came to an end when he was caught at second slip by Greaves attempting to drive a fullish delivery from Roach.
First innings centurion Shan Masood – batting down the order due to a finger injury – made just three before loosely driving Seales straight into the hands of Joseph at backward point, to essentially end any hopes Pakistan had of staging a recovery.
It looked as though the Windies would wrap up the match before tea when Seales sent Shahzad’s middle stump flying and Joseph had Ali caught at second slip wafting at a delivery, to reduce Pakistan to 71 for nine.
However, Abbas hit four fours in an entertaining knock and together with Azam carried Pakistan to tea at 114 for nine, with Pakistan still requiring a further 97 runs for an unlikely victory.
Azam duly completed his 32nd Test half-century, but the West Indies predictably ended the match when Seales fittingly had Abbas lbw after the break for 23 off 33 balls to end their 49-run partnership.
Greaves, who was named Player-of-the-Match for his seven-wicket haul in the contest, grabbed 2-12 and Roach 2-27.
(CMC)
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