The second Test at Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain saw a dramatic third day as 14 wickets fell, shifting the momentum in favor of Pakistan. While Jomel Warrican’s six-wicket haul limited Pakistan to a first-innings total of 387, the West Indies struggled significantly in their second innings, finishing the day at 103/6 with a precarious 60-run lead.
Pakistan began the day at 266/2, but their progress was hampered by two distinct collapses. The first began when captain Babar Azam, who fell 12 runs short of a century, was run out following a direct hit from Brandon King. During the play, King suffered a lower back spasm after falling awkwardly and was stretchered off, taking no further part in the match. Pakistan subsequently lost momentum as Warrican dismissed Awais Zafar and Shamar Joseph trapped Salman Agha for a duck. Despite a brief 18-run cameo from Mohammad Rizwan, he was bowled by an arm ball from Warrican, leaving Pakistan at 311/6.
Abdullah Shafique, who remained unbeaten on 160, found a steady partner in Sajid Khan. The pair added 59 runs to stabilize the innings, allowing Pakistan to surpass the West Indies’ first-innings total of 344. After Jayden Seales ended Sajid’s resistance on 30, Warrican tore through the tail, claiming three wickets in four balls to finish with figures of 6-112. This effort ensured Pakistan’s lead was capped at 43 runs by the tea interval.
In their second innings, the West Indies initially showed promise with Kavem Hodge and Tagenarine Chanderpaul rotating the strike effectively. However, the introduction of spin proved fatal. Sajid Khan struck first by removing Chanderpaul leg before, and the West Indies soon found themselves in trouble as the pitch continued to favor slow bowlers. Ali Usman joined the attack, dismissing Hodge leg before following a successful review, while Sajid continued to dismantle the middle order.
The West Indies collapsed from 99/3 to 103/6 by the close of play. Shai Hope was trapped plumb in front by a low-spinning delivery from Sajid, who then claimed his fourth wicket by bowling night watchman Seales. Ali Usman added to the pressure by dismissing Roston Chase, who chipped a catch back to the bowler. With the uncertainty surrounding King’s ability to return to the crease, Justin Greaves (1*) remains the key hope for the hosts to extend their lead on the fourth morning.
Brief Scores: West Indies 344 & 103/6 (Kavem Hodge 34; Sajid Khan 4-32, Ali Usman 2-29) lead Pakistan 387 (Abdullah Shafique 160*, Babar Azam 88; Jomel Warrican 6-112) by 60 runs.
On a surface continuing to aid spin, Jomel Warrican bagged six wickets to bowl Pakistan out for 387 even as Abdullah Shafique remained stranded on an unbeaten 160.
But West Indies, sans an injured Brandon King, crashed to 103/6 by Stumps with a 60-run lead in hand, as Sajid Khan and Ali Usman wreaked havoc of their own.
The Pakistan captain fell short of a hundred by 12 runs but more tellingly, King had to be stretchered off having fallen awkwardly on the pick-up and throw and he did not return to field or bat owing to a lower back spas
The Pakistan captain fell short of a hundred by 12 runs but more tellingly, King had to be stretchered off having fallen awkwardly on the pick-up and throw and he did not return to field or bat owing to a lower back spasm.
Sajid joined overnight centurion Shafique to steady the ship with a 59-run partnership.
Warrican continued to operate unchanged from one end but Sajid did not back away from playing his shots as Pakistan got to within 11 runs of West Indies’ first innings score by Lunch.
They entered the lead in the second session and with Warrican given a break, as Shafique pounced on Kavem Hodge’s part-time spin, stepping out and slamming the ball over long on to get to 150.
Regular strike rotation and boundaries against the pacers saw them eat into the deficit, with Mohammad Ali proving to be expensive for Pakistan.
West Indies entered the lead in the same over and looked poised to build on it at 62/1, but the spinners turned the game on its head instead.
