West Indies take first-innings lead on topsy-turvy opening day

West Indies Take First-Innings Lead on Topsy-Turvy Opening Day

West Indies took the lead on the first day of the second Test in Multan, thanks to a strong all-round performance that saw them claw back from a precarious position.

Pakistan's Collapse

Pakistan's final-hour collapse left them nine runs short of West Indies' first-innings score of 163, despite a historic hat-trick from Noman Ali. Mohammad Rizwan's 49 and his 68-run partnership with Saud Shakeel (32) formed the backbone of Pakistan's reply, but a collapse on either side of it meant West Indies took Day 1 honours.

West Indies' Batting Struggles

West Indies' batting struggles against spin continued for the third successive innings on this tour. However, it was the pace of Pakistan's debutant, Kashif Ali, that dealt the first blow in the morning as he struck in his very first over in international cricket to send back Mikyle Louis.

Noman Ali's Hat-Trick

Noman Ali completed a hat-trick in his first over, trapping Kraigg Brathwaite LBW for nine. He then dismissed Justin Greaves and Tevin Imlach in successive overs, completing his hat-trick.

Lower-Order Resistance

Just before the hat-trick, Sajid had Alick Athanaze LBW with an arm-ball that angled back in and struck the front pad. However, resistance came from the lower order once more, with a 41-run partnership between Motie (55) and Roach (25) putting West Indies on course for a face-saving score in triple digits.

Brief Scores

• West Indies: 163 (Gudakesh Motie 55, Jomel Warrican 36*; Noman Ali 6-41, Sajid Khan 2-64)
• Pakistan: 154 (Mohammad Rizwan 49; Jomel Warrican 4-43, Gudakesh Motie 3-49)

West Indies Lead by 9 Runs