In the Multan Test, Pakistan finished with a final lead of 202 runs thanks to a record 19-wicket Day 2 led by Noman Ali (5 for 39) and Sajid Khan (4 for 65). West Indies collapsed for just 137 in response as the Pakistan spinners played havoc after Pakistan collapsed for 230 in a lower-order collapse despite a strong first hour of the morning session. With seven wickets remaining, Pakistan's lead surpassed 200 thanks to Shan Masood's fifty in the last session.
The overnight half-centurions Saud Shakeel (84) and Mohammad Rizwan (71), who held off the West Indies for an hour following a 30-minute delay in the start of the match due to fog for the second consecutive day, contributed 141 runs to Pakistan's 230. Early on, the well-set partnership was able to score runs because the West Indies bowling attack lacked consistency and discipline.
But Kevin Sinclair's strike on the first ball, which gave the keeper a slight edge, signalled the start of the collapse shortly after the drinks break. It would have been a worthy century, but Shakeel missed it by sixteen. Jomel Warrican then took the first of his three wickets of the day when Salman Agha pulled a thick edge onto his stumps.
Sinclair's very next over put Pakistan firmly on the defensive. First, Norman Ali lost his wicket in a run-out due to a huge misunderstanding between him and Rizwan in the middle. Rizwan made the call before he withdrew. With Pakistan losing both set batsmen in four overs, Sinclair had him trapped LBW on 71 a ball later.
In the 69th over, Warrican ended Pakistan's first innings by dismissing both Sajid Khan and Khurram Shahzad, who had a brief partnership of 25 for the ninth wicket after Khan hit a six and a four in his cameo of 18 at no. 9.
In the second over, Sajid bowled Mikyle Louis over the gate, making an almost instantaneous impression with the ball as well. With a brilliant take from debutant Muhammad Hurraira, Keacy Carty was caught at short leg on the very next delivery. Sajid's third victim, Kraigg Brathwaite, was bowled while trying a calculated sweep. The visitors were reduced to 22/4 within five overs of their reply when Kavem Hodge provided a return catch two balls later in the same over, which a tumbling Sajid was able to hang onto.
Early in his tenure, Justin Greaves was saved from an LBW ruling by DRS, but he quickly became Noman's first victim. Tevin Imlach and Alick Athanaze were both stranded LBW in his second, third, and fourth overs, while Kevin Sinclair was caught at long-off after attempting a big shot. Following a quick 25-run partnership between Jomel Warrican and Gudakesh Motie, Noman bowled the former to finish his fifer.
When they had nothing to lose, the West Indies innings' best partnership, incidentally, occurred. Jayden Seales and Warrican, the last-wicket duo, counterattacked and combined for 46 runs. Seales smashed three sixes and made 22 of them during his short but exciting stay. Abrar Ahmed then ended his fireworks and the first innings for the West Indies at 137. In the post-lunch session, West Indies broke down in just 26 overs as Warrican finished undefeated at 31 off just 24, including four boundaries and a six.
The first hour of the final session was dominated by the Pakistan openers, who started strong and put on a strong 67-run partnership, building on their 93-run advantage. Warrican made a patient 29, but shortly after the drinks break, he trapped Hurraira plumb in front of the wickets, ending the partnership.
For a brief moment, Shan Masood shifted tactics, striking sixes in back-to-back overs, but the hosts eased off their onslaught after Babar Azam was removed. Babar was also beaten on the inside edge by Warrican as he advanced to defend and trapped LBW, just like Hurraira. Kamran Ghulam, who was beaten two balls in a row for the remainder of the over, engaged the bowler in a brief duel. Soon later, Ghulam was assigned Warrican LBW, but he was able to avoid it by using a review.
After getting set, Masood silently reached a half-century off 60 balls and then demanded a nonexistent single to dismiss him. Two overs later, the lightmeters came out against the quickly failing light, and the players could only play another over before the umpires removed them.
Brief scores:
West Indies 137 (Jomel Warrican 31*; Noman Ali 5-39, Sajid Khan 4-65) are ahead of Pakistan 230 (Saud Shakeel 84, Mohammad Rizwan 71; Jayden Seales 3-27, Jomel Warrican 3-69) & 109/3 (Shan Masood 52, Jomel Warrican 2-17) by 202 runs.