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Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan helped Pakistan reach 143/4 against the West Indies at the end of day one of the first Test.
Pakistan vs West Indies: Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan walk back at the end of the first day (AP)
Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan helped Pakistan fight back from a poor start in the first Test against the West Indies Friday to reach 143/4 at the close of a fog-hit opening day.
When bad light ended play with just 41.3 overs bowled, Shakeel was unbeaten on 56 for his ninth half century, while Rizwan was 51 not out for his 11th.
Pakistan vs West Indies: 1st Test, Day 1 – Highlights
The pair added 97 after coming together with Pakistan in trouble at 46/4.
The left-right combination of Shakeel and Rizwan negotiated the three-spinner West Indies attack with confidence after fast bowler Jayden Seales initially left the home team struggling.
Sensing the dry and grassless Multan Stadium pitch will be tough for batting on the last two days — and with spin set to play a major role — the home team opted to bat after winning the toss.
But play was delayed owing to early morning fog compounded by poor air quality, resulting in poor visability and wiping out the first session.
Shakeel has so far cracked four boundaries while Rizwan has seven hits to the fence.
Seales finished with 3/21 off 10 overs.
Both teams started with three spinners and just one frontline fast bowler, and the tourists opened the bowling with left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie alongside Seales.
It was Seales who provided the breakthrough, forcing an edge off debutant Muhammad Hurraira to wicketkeeper Tevin Imlach in the sixth over. Hurraira scored six.
Three overs later, Motie dismissed Masood off a faint edge to the wicketkeeper for 11 before Seales trapped Kamran Ghulam leg-before with a sharp incoming delivery for five.
It became 46/4 when Babar Azam edged Seales behind the wicket for eight, continuing a poor run of scores at home from Pakistan’s premier batter.
“We need to continue bowling the good balls,” Seales told broadcasters after the day’s play.
“As spinners or as fast bowlers, there’s always something in the pitch for us. It’s a matter of just bowling our good balls for as long as possible.
“I think 250-odd is probably a good score on this pitch.”
The two-match series is part of the World Test Championship’s third cycle (2023-2025). Pakistan currently rank eighth and the West Indies ninth and last.
(With inputs from Agencies)
