- Scorecard is available here; Action images available here for free download and editorial use, please credit @PCB
Multan, 25 January 2025: Noman Ali became the first Pakistan spinner to register a Test hat-trick en route to his splendid spell of 6-41 before West Indies fought back to finish the first day of the second Test at Multan Cricket Stadium with a nine-run lead.
Gudakesh Motie and Jomel Warrican shared seven wickets between them as Pakistan were all out for 154 in response to the visitors’ first-innings total of 163.
Mohammad Rizwan (49, 75b, 8x4s) and Saud Shakeel (32, 62b, 2x4s) had done well to lift Pakistan with 68-run stand for the fifth wicket after sliding to 51-4. Saud’s departure courtesy of a brilliant catch by Roach in the deep was followed by little resistance from the lower order barring Sajid Khan’s unbeaten 16 off 20 balls.
Debutant Kashif Ali was the last Pakistan batter dismissed while attempting to steal a single on the final ball of the 47th over, rounding off a 20-wicket day – 16 of which fell to spinners.
Pakistan had dominated the opening hour of the day after Kraigg Brathwaite won the toss and elected to bat first. Kashif struck in his first over of Test cricket with the wicket of Mikyle Louis for four while Sajid removed debutant Amir Jangoo for a duck in the following over.
Left-arm spinner Noman soon entered the wickets column and made history in the 12th over of the day by becoming the fifth Pakistan bowler to take a Test hat-trick – first since Naseem Shah against Bangladesh at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in 2020.
Noman got the scalps of Justin Greaves, Tevin Imlach and Kevin Sinclair on successive deliveries to leave West Indies reeling at 38-7.
Motie, batting at No. 9, then conjured a solid half-century (55, 87b, 4x4s) and added 109 runs for the last two wickets to take West Indies to a fighting total. He was ably supported by Roach (25, 45b, 2x4s) and Warrican (36 not out, 40b, 1x4, 2x6s).
Scores in brief (Day 1 of 5)
2nd Test – Pakistan vs West Indies at the Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan
Toss: West Indies won the toss and elected to bat first
West Indies 163, 41.1 overs (Gudakesh Motie 55, Jomel Warrican 36 not out, Kemar Roach 25; Noman Ali 6-41, Sajid Khan 2-64)
Pakistan 154, 47 overs (Mohamamd Rizwan 49, Saud Shakeel 32, Sajid Khan 16 not out, Kamran Ghulam 16; Jomel Warrican 4-43, Gudakesh Motie 3-49, Kemar Roach 2-15)
