Kingston, Jamaica, 23 August 2021: Fawad Alam stroked his fifth career century, fourth since his comeback 12 months ago, as Pakistan wrestled back in the Sabina Park Test marred by rain that lost the entire second day’s play and more than first session’s play on the third day due to wet ground.
Fawad, who had retired during the first day’s play on Friday at 76 due to cramps, returned on Sunday afternoon to remain unconquered on 124 that helped Babar Azam to make an attacking and aggressive declaration at 302 for nine. This was after the visitors were left tottering at 2-3 before the completion of the fourth over of the second Test.
Shaheen Shah Afridi then sent Kieron Powell (five) and Kraigg Brathwaite (four) packing at the score of nine and Faheem Ashraf disturbed the symmetry of Roshan Chase’s stumps with a beauty as the West Indies were reduced to 39 for three before bad light forced an early draw of stumps. Nkrumah Bonner (18) and nightwatchman Alzarri Joseph (0) will resume the West Indies’ first innings on Monday morning.
The day, as has been the case for most part of the past 12 months of Pakistan’s Test cricket, belonged to Fawad Alam who notched up his fifth Test century against fifth different opposition at fifth different venue of four continents. His other four centuries were against Sri Lanka (168 at P Sara Oval, Colombo), Zimbabwe (140, Harare Sports Club, Harare), South Africa (109, National Stadium, Karachi) and New Zealand (102 at the Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui).
In reaching his century, the 35-year-old left-hander also became the quickest Asian batsman to five Test centuries in 22 innings, eclipsing Cheteshwar Puraja (24 innings) and Saurav Ganguly and Sunil Gavaskar (both achieved in 25 innings).
Fawad Alam also became the sixth Pakistan batsman to score a century at Sabina Park, joining Imtiaz Ahmed (122, 1958), Wazir Mohammad (106, 1958), Asif Iqbal (135, 1977), Younis Khan (106, 2005) and Inzamam-ul-Haq (117 not out, 2005).
Fawad, who returned to Test arena in August 2020 against England nearly 11 years after playing his third and last Test, faced 213 deliveries off which 17 were converted into fours. On Sunday, he scored 48 runs from 64 balls with six fours. Fawad reached the coveted three-figure mark from 186 balls with 16 fours.
Pakistan had resumed their first innings at the overnight score of 212 for four but soon lost Faheem Ashraf (26), Mohammad Rizwan (31) and Nauman Ali (0) to be reduced to 231 for seven.
At that stage, Fawad and Hasan Ali (nine) put on 36 runs for the eighth wicket, while Fawad and Shaheen Shah Afridi (19) added 35 runs for the ninth wicket to allow Babar to declare the first innings at 302 for nine. This meant the late order, that let Pakistan down in the first Test, came good this time by contributing 71 runs.
For the West Indies, Jayden Seales (three for 31), Kemar Roach (three for 68) and Jason Holder (two for 46) shared wickets.
Scores in brief:
Pakistan 302-9d, 110 overs (Fawad Alam 124 not out, Babar Azam 75, Mohammad Rizwan 31, Faheem Ashraf 26; Jayden Seales 3-31, Kemar Roach 3-68, Jason Holder 2-46)
West Indies 39-3, 18 overs (Shaheen Shah Afridi 2-13, Faheem Ashraf 1-0)
