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KINGSTON: Rain delayed the start of play on the second day of the second and final Test at Sabina Park on Saturday with Pakistan to resume at their first innings 212 for four against the West Indies.
The visitors were rescued after losing three wickets for just runs during Friday’s opening day by skipper Babar Azam and Fawad Alam, who combined in a 158-run stand.
After one of Pakistan’s worst starts to a Test match, Babar and Fawad dug in to withstand the early seam movement and post resilient half centuries.
Both batsmen played and missed initially and had some false shots but eventually got on top of the attack. They moved the total to 160 before Fawad had to retire hurt because of cramping. He faced 149 deliveries for his unbeaten 76 before leaving the field on a sweltering afternoon in the Jamaican capital where temperatures hit 34 degrees.
Those dehydrating conditions also claimed West Indies wicket-keeper Joshua da Silva who was replaced by Jahmar Hamilton for the rest of the day when the first-choice gloveman left the field just before tea.
Despite Babar’s dismissal and the temporary loss of Fawad, Pakistan remain on course for a challenging first innings total with Mohammad Rizwan and Faheem Ashraf set to resume on the second morning in a fifth-wicket partnership that has added 44 runs.
Babar continued with Mohammad Rizwan, adding eight to the total, before his almost five-hour innings ended when he got a thick edge to Kemar Roach and Jason Holder took a catch low to his left at second slip in the 61st over. Babar scored 75 from 174 deliveries in a captain’s knock.
Rizwan finished unbeaten on 22 and Faheem Ashraf was not out on 23.
The West Indies used seven bowlers, with Roach’s 3-49 from 17 overs spearheading a weary attack before bad light stopped play.
“I thought Kemar should have extended his opening spell for a couple more overs given that he was bowling so well and the conditions were really helpful to the bowlers at that time,” said West Indies bowling coach Roddy Estwick. “Still, you have to give credit to the way Babar and Fawad played because they buckled down well and worked hard to get their team in a decent position.”
West Indies won a tense first Test by one wicket at the Sabina Park last weekend.
Scoreboard
PAKISTAN (1st Innings, overnight 212-4):
Abid Ali c Blackwood b Roach 1
Imran Butt c da Silva b Seales 1
Azhar Ali c da Silva b Roach 0
Babar Azam c Holder b Roach 75
Fawad Alam retired hurt 76
Mohammad Rizwan not out 22
Faheem Ashraf not out 23
EXTRAS (B-1, LB-8, NB-5) 14
TOTAL (for four wkts, 74 overs) 212
FALL OF WKTS: 1-2 (Abid), 2-2 (Azhar), 3-2 (Imran), 4-168 (Babar).
TO BAT: Hasan Ali, Nauman Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Abbas
BOWLING (to-date): Roach
17-6-49-3 (1nb); Seales 11-3-25-1; Joseph 12-1-54-0; Holder 15-7-25-0; Mayers 11-5-17-0 (2nb); Chase
7-0-27-0; Bonner 1-0-6-0 (2nb).
NOTE: Fawad retired hurt at 160-3.
WEST INDIES: K.C. Brathwaite, K.O.A. Powell, N.E. Bonner, R.L. Chase, J. Blackwood, K.R. Mayers, J.O. Holder, J. da Silva, A.S. Joseph, K.A.J. Roach, J.N.T. Seales.