Pakistan’s spin twins leave West Indies reeling as defeat looms in second Test
Key Points(5)
- Jomel Warrican delivered another memorable performance against Pakistan, but his brilliance was ultimately overshadowed by a devastating late assault from spinners Sajid Khan and Ali Usman that left the West Indies facing an uphill battle in the second and final Test at Queen’s Park Oval.
- After Warrican’s six-wicket haul helped restrict Pakistan to 387 and limit the visitors’ first-innings lead to just 43 runs, West Indies appeared poised to mount a competitive response.
- Instead, the pitch increasingly favored spin, and Pakistan’s slow bowlers seized complete control.
- By the close of the third day, the hosts had collapsed to 103 for six, holding an overall advantage of only 60 runs and staring at the prospect of defeat with one day remaining.
- Warrican once again torments Pakistan Pakistan resumed the morning in a commanding position on 266 for two, but Warrican once again proved to be their chief tormentor.
Jomel Warrican delivered another memorable performance against Pakistan, but his brilliance was ultimately overshadowed by a devastating late assault from spinners Sajid Khan and Ali Usman that left the West Indies facing an uphill battle in the second and final Test at Queen’s Park Oval.
After Warrican’s six-wicket haul helped restrict Pakistan to 387 and limit the visitors’ first-innings lead to just 43 runs, West Indies appeared poised to mount a competitive response. Instead, the pitch increasingly favored spin, and Pakistan’s slow bowlers seized complete control.
By the close of the third day, the hosts had collapsed to 103 for six, holding an overall advantage of only 60 runs and staring at the prospect of defeat with one day remaining.
Warrican once again torments Pakistan
Pakistan resumed the morning in a commanding position on 266 for two, but Warrican once again proved to be their chief tormentor.
The left-arm spinner claimed 6-112, the second-best figures of his Test career, while registering his third five-wicket haul in the format, all achieved against Pakistan.
The breakthrough came almost immediately, though not from the spinner. Pakistan captain Babar Azam failed to add to his overnight 88, falling victim to a sharp piece of fielding when Brandon King produced a direct hit from cover to complete a run-out after a mix-up with Abdullah Shafique.
The dismissal came at a cost for the West Indies. King suffered lower back spasms while making the play and had to be stretchered from the field. Cricket West Indies later confirmed the injury, and the opener did not return for the remainder of the day's play.
Warrican then ripped through Pakistan’s middle and lower order, dismissing Awais Zafar and Mohammad Rizwan before Shamar Joseph trapped Salman Agha leg before wicket without scoring, reducing the visitors to 311 for six.
Shafique anchors Pakistan before tail falls
While wickets tumbled around him, Abdullah Shafique remained the pillar of Pakistan’s innings.
The opener advanced to a magnificent 160 not out from 323 deliveries, striking 15 fours and three sixes, and shared a valuable 59-run partnership with Sajid Khan that pushed Pakistan into the lead.
Once Jayden Seales removed Khan for 30, Warrican polished off the innings in dramatic fashion, dismissing Ali Usman, Ubaid Shah and Mohammad Ali in the space of four deliveries to complete his outstanding spell.
Despite Warrican’s heroics, Pakistan had secured a potentially decisive first-innings advantage.
Bright opening undone by relentless spin
Set a platform from which to build, West Indies began their second innings with encouraging intent.
Tagenarine Chanderpaul and makeshift opener Kavem Hodge erased almost all of Pakistan’s advantage during a fluent opening partnership of 40 runs, giving the home supporters reason for optimism.
That optimism evaporated the moment Sajid Khan entered the attack.
The off-spinner struck with only his second delivery, trapping Chanderpaul leg before wicket to spark a dramatic collapse.
Although Amir Jangoo and Hodge carried the West Indies into the lead, Khan quickly returned to bowl Jangoo for 13 with a delivery that straightened sharply.
Ali Usman then delivered another critical breakthrough. After an on-field appeal against Hodge was rejected, Pakistan successfully reviewed the decision, with ball-tracking confirming the delivery would have crashed into the stumps. Hodge departed for 34, leaving the hosts increasingly vulnerable.
Pakistan seizes complete control
The pressure intensified as Khan continued to exploit the deteriorating surface.
Shai Hope was trapped lbw for 15 by a delivery that stayed unusually low, before nightwatchman Jayden Seales followed soon after, dismissed without scoring.
West Indies captain Roston Chase then compounded the hosts’ misery on the final ball of the day, driving firmly back to Ali Usman, who accepted the straightforward return catch to leave the innings in disarray.
Khan ended the day with outstanding figures of 4-32, while Usman provided excellent support with 2-29, combining to dismantle the West Indies batting lineup in a decisive final session.
West Indies face daunting challenge
What began as a promising day for the West Indies, inspired by Warrican’s outstanding six-wicket performance, ended with Pakistan firmly in command.
The hosts will resume on the fourth day with only four wickets intact and a fragile lead of 60 runs, knowing they must somehow build a far more substantial target while surviving a Pakistan spin attack that has already demonstrated it possesses both the conditions and the confidence to finish the job.
