MULTAN, Pakistan — In a remarkable performance, off-spinner Sajid Khan led Pakistan to a commanding 127-run victory over the West Indies in the first Test match on Sunday, taking nine wickets in the match.
Khan initially claimed four wickets in the first innings and followed up with 5-50 in the second, as the West Indies were dismissed for just 123 runs while chasing a target of 251 runs on a pitch conducive to spin.
Alick Athanaze, who was making just his 12th appearance in Test cricket, showed resilience with a score of 55 off 68 balls before falling victim to Khan, marking the collapse of the West Indies’ second innings in the afternoon session of Day 3.
“Achieving 20 wickets and performing well is what matters to us,” said Pakistan’s captain, Shan Masood. “We were uncertain about the spinning conditions due to the cold weather, but our spinners executed their roles effectively.”
In a consistent display, Khan again dismantled the visitors’ batting lineup with the new ball, taking out the top four batsmen swiftly, as the West Indies stumbled to 54-5 in the first session. Remarkably, out of the 12 wickets that fell during that session, 11 were taken by spinners.
Leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed made his mark too, earning figures of 4-27. He achieved a critical double dismissal, getting Kevin Sinclair (10) and Gudakesh Motie (0) out in consecutive deliveries—they both edged the ball to Salman Ali Agha in the slips. The West Indies lost their last four wickets without adding a single run to their score.
West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite reflected on his team’s performance, emphasizing, “Our batters need to be braver. It’s vital to maintain a positive approach on these kinds of pitches. We must trust our skills better, and if we can align our strategy in both batting and bowling, we can find success.”
In a whirlwind first session that lasted around 2.5 hours, Pakistan batsmen faced challenges of their own, as left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican achieved personal best figures of 7-32. Under his influence, the home team was bowled out for a mere 157 runs in just 90 minutes after starting the day at 109-3.
This innings gave Pakistan an aggregate lead of 250 runs, backed by a 93-run first innings advantage when the West Indies were all out for 137 on Day 2 in response to Pakistan’s 230.
Khan continued to dominate, dismissing Brathwaite (12), Mikyle Louis (13), Keacy Carty (6), and Kavem Hodge (0) once again, as the West Indies strategy to counterattacked against the off-spinner didn’t work out, with the slow bowlers excelling on the sluggish pitch.
Khan noted the unity within the team and his effective adaptation: “The wicket offered a lot of turn and bounce. After talking with the spin bowling coach, I adjusted my pace in the second innings, which helped keep the runs down.”
Brathwaite’s dismissal came when he attempted a risky shot to deep mid-wicket, while Carty’s efforts led to an easy catch behind the wicket during a sweep attempt, and both Hodge and Louis were undone by Khan’s sharply-turning deliveries.
Athanaze briefly stalled the inevitable with a 41-run partnership alongside debutant Tevin Imlach (14) before reaching his half-century with a cover drive. However, Ahmed soon expedited the West Indies’ downfall, concluding their innings.
Earlier, Warrican had given his team a glimmer of hope by dismissing Pakistan’s top spinner against spin, Saud Shakeel (2), on the first ball of the day. Rizwan and Kamran Ghulam fell victim to the uneven bounce as the left-arm spinner leveraged the favorable conditions for slow bowling.
Warrican’s exceptional performance culminated when he executed a direct-hit run-out on Khurram Shahzad. Had West Indies opted for a review regarding an lbw appeal against Agha, he could have claimed even more scalps, but Motie eventually ended the innings by getting Agha caught at mid-off, marking a collapse where Pakistan lost seven wickets for just 48 runs.
“It’s tough for the batters out there,” Masood commented. “While we had a poor showing in the second innings, there’s room for improvement. Winning can bring a sense of complacency, but we need to remain vigilant.”
As Pakistan enjoys its third consecutive victory at home on spin-friendly surfaces, both teams currently sit at No. 8 and No. 9 respectively in the World Test Championship points table, as their performances haven’t been up to par over the last year. Australia and South Africa have already secured their spots for the final at Lord’s scheduled for June 11-15.
The second Test, which will conclude this World Test Championship cycle for both teams, is set to take place at the same venue on Friday.
