Leg-spinner Yasir Shah took six second-innings wickets in Pakistan’s crushing 133-run second Test victory over the West Indies in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, yesterday as they took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
The wily spinner finished with 6-124 to secure his second 10-wicket haul in Test cricket after claiming four wickets in the first innings as the West Indies were bowled out for 322 before tea on a weary fifth and final day pitch at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium.
Shah had deprived West Indies batsman Jermaine Blackwood of his second Test century when he bowled him for 95 in the morning session.
Photo: AFP
The West Indies, set a mammoth 456-run target for an unlikely victory, still fought hard and batted for 108 overs, with Shai Hope also scoring a fighting 41.
Hope and Devendra Bishoo fought for 45 runs during their eighth-wicket stand before left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar (2-51) had Hope and Bishoo (26) caught to finish the match.
In between Babar’s wickets, Shah had Miguel Cummins bowled for a duck to finish the match with figures of 10-210, having taken 4-86 in the first innings.
Pakistan won the first Test by 56 runs in Dubai, leaving the third and final Test in Sharjah starting on Sunday inconsequential.
Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq was delighted with the series win.
“It’s a good win and I am very happy,” said Misbah, who equaled Imran Khan’s record of most matches as Pakistan captain with 48.
This was Misbah’s 23rd victory, while Imran had only 14.
“The pitch was not helping the spinners, so it was tough to get [the] West Indies out, even on a fifth-day pitch, but we have match-winners like Shah, who bowled very well,” Misbah said.
Meanwhile, West Indies captain Jason Holder was pleased with his team’s fighting spirit, despite the defeat.
“We’ve showed signs of improvement,” said Holder, who has now lost eight of his 11 Tests as captain. “Unfortunately, we weren’t able to start the game the way we like. They scored too many runs on the first day, we didn’t bat well in the first innings. Pleased with the guys like Blackwood, the way they showed application.”
Blackwood defied the Pakistan attack in the first session by adding 63 for the fifth wicket with Roston Chase (20) and another 57 with Hope for the sixth to counter the weary pitch.
When it seemed Blackwood would complete his second Test century, Shah produced a beautiful delivery which kept straight and hit the batsman’s pad, dislodging the stumps.
Blackwood hit 11 fours during his enterprising 127-ball stay.
Shah then trapped Jason Holder leg before wicket for 16 to complete his five-wicket haul, the second of the series.
Resuming at 171-4, West Indies pair Blackwood and Chase batted without any problems for the first nine overs, but in the 10th of the day Shah produced a sharp, turning ball which took the edge of Chase’s bat to flew to wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed for an easy catch.
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