West Indies in tatters at 54-5 in pursuit of 251-run target against Pakistan in 1st test

Multan (Pakistan), Jan 19 (AP) Off-spinner Sajid Khan continued to baffle West Indies on a turning wicket and brought Pakistan to the brink of victory in the first test on Sunday.

Khan replicated his first innings show with the new ball by yet again removing the top four batters as the tourists limped to 54-5 at lunch on Day 3.

Khan’s spin partner Noman Ali had Justin Greaves lbw in the last over before lunch as West Indies’ batters had little clue how to combat the spinners in pursuit of a tricky 251-run target for victory.

The visitors still require 197 runs for an improbable victory in the first test of the two-match series with Alick Athanaze unbeaten on 12 at the break.

In a sensational 12-wicket first session, left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican had earlier grabbed a career-best 7-32. Warrican featured in all but one dismissal in Pakistan’s second innings as the home team was bowled out for 157 runs inside 1-1/2 hours after resuming on 109-3.

It gave Pakistan an overall lead of 250 runs after West Indies conceded a 93-run first innings lead when it was dismissed for 137 inside one session on Day 2.

Khan removed Kraigg Brathwaite (12), Mikyle Louis (13), Keacy Carty (6) and Kavem Hodge (0) for the second successive time in the match as the tourists ploy to counterattack the off-spinner failed.

Brathwaite holed out at deep mid-wicket while going for an overly ambitious shot; Carty lobbed an easy catch behind the wicket while attempting a sweep, while Hodge and Louis were bowled by Khan’s sharp turning deliveries.

Warrican had earlier given West Indies hope when he had overnight batter Saud Shakeel (2) caught at short mid-wicket of the very first ball of the day. Rizwan (2) was then outdone by awkward bounce and edged to the first slip as the left-arm spinner exploited the favorable slow bowling conditions.

Warrican capped his brilliant bowling when he ran out Khurram Shahzad with a direct-hit throw and could have featured in all dismissals had West Indies gone for a lbw television review against Salman Ali Agha, before Gudakesh Motie wrapped up the innings by having Agha caught at mid-off.