First Test Victory
MULTAN: Spinner Sajid Khan and leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed delivered a commanding performance as Pakistan secured a comprehensive 127-run victory over the West Indies on the third day of the first Test in Multan on Sunday. The win gave Pakistan a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
Sajid was the standout bowler, claiming 5-50 in the second innings for match figures of 9-115, while Abrar Ahmed supported with an impressive 4-27.
Together, they dismantled the West Indies’ batting lineup, dismissing the visitors for a mere 123 as they fell significantly short of the 251-run target. Noman Ali also contributed with 1-42, ensuring that Pakistan’s spinners accounted for all ten wickets in the second innings.
Alick Athanaze was the lone bright spot for the West Indies, scoring a resilient 55, the only half-century for his team in the match. His 41-run partnership with Tevin Imlach briefly raised hopes for the visitors, but Sajid’s dismissal of Athanaze dashed any chance of a comeback. Abrar sealed the victory by taking the final wicket of Jomel Warrican.
Earlier, Warrican had delivered a career-best performance for the West Indies with figures of 7-32 in Pakistan’s second innings, resulting in match figures of 10-101.
These were the best figures by a West Indian bowler in Pakistan, surpassing Malcolm Marshall’s 5-33 in Lahore in 1986. Warrican’s disciplined bowling had limited Pakistan to 157 runs in their second innings, giving the visitors a fighting chance.
The Test match, which lasted less than eight sessions, was impacted by poor visibility on the first day and played on a pitch offering significant turn. Pakistan’s spinners capitalized on the conditions, with Sajid dismissing key batters including Kraigg Brathwaite (12), Keacy Carty (6), and Kavem Hodge (0). Noman Ali’s dismissal of Justin Greaves for nine in the last over before lunch left the visitors struggling at 54-5.
Pakistan had started the day on 109-3 but could add only 48 runs as Warrican ran through the batting order. He dismissed overnight batter Saud Shakeel (2) with the first ball of the day and removed Mohammad Rizwan (2) shortly after.
Contributions from Kamran Ghulam (27) and a few lower-order batters provided some resistance, but Pakistan’s total remained modest.
With this victory, Pakistan heads into the second Test in Multan, starting January 25, with momentum and a strong chance to seal the series.
