Saud, Rizwan lead Pakistan’s recovery in fog-hit first Test

Agencies Published January 18, 2025

PAKISTAN batter Mohammad Rizwan looks on as close-in West Indies fielder Alick Athanaze eyes the ball during the first Test at the Multan Cricket Stadium on Friday.—AFP

MULTAN: Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan hit unbeaten half-centuries to lead a Pakistan fightback in the first Test against the West Indies on Friday as the hosts reached 143-4 at the close of a fog-hit opening day.

When bad light in Multan ended play with just 41.3 overs bowled, Saud was on 56 for his ninth half- century and Rizwan was 51 not out for his 11th at the Multan Cricket Stadium.

The pair added 97 after coming together with Pakistan in real trouble at 46-4.

The left-right combination of Saud and Rizwan negotiated the three-spinner West Indies attack with aplomb after fast bowler Jayden Seales initially left the home team struggling.

“This pitch is tough to bat on,” said Rizwan after the day’s play. “We batted with caution and just took advantage of loose balls. It’s tough to judge what should be a good total, but we will target 300 plus.”

To a question about the absence of key players, Rizwan said, “Some players are being rested to prepare for upcoming cricket.”

He recalled that South Africa’s pacers exposed us to conditions we had not experienced before, but added that the challenges make the team better.

He emphasized that Pakistan must utilize its unique cricketing resources effectively.

“If we cannot capitalise on our strengths, we need to learn how to do so. On such pitches, the focus should be on playing smart cricket and building good scores according to the conditions,” said the wicket-keeper/batter.

Sensing the dry and grassless Multan pitch will be tricky for batting on the last two days — and with spin set to play a major role — the home team opted to bat after winning the toss.

But play was delayed because of early morning fog compounded by poor air quality, resulting in limited visibility and wiping out the first session.

Saud has so far cracked four boundaries while Rizwan has seven hits to the fence.

Seales finished with 3-21 off 10 overs.

“My aim was to build pressure and get wickets,” he told broadcasters after the day’s play. “I sense spin will play a major role on this pitch going forward.

“We need to continue bowling the good balls.

PAKISTAN’S Saud Shakeel in action during his half-century.—AFP

“As spinners or as fast bowlers, there’s always something in the pitch for us. It’s a matter of just bowling our good balls for as long as possible.

“I think 250-odd is probably a good score on this pitch,” the West Indies pacer added.

Both teams started with three spinners and just one frontline fast bowler, and the tourists opened the bowling with left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie alongside Seales.

It was Seales who provided the breakthrough, forcing an edge off debutant Mohammad Hurraira to wicket-keeper Tevin Imlach in the sixth over. Hurraira scored six.

Three overs later, Motie dismissed skipper Shan Masood off a faint edge to the wicket-keeper for 11, before Seales trapped Kamran Ghulam leg-before with a sharp incoming delivery for five.

It became 46-4 when Babar Azam edged Seales behind the wicket for eight, continuing a poor run of scores at home for Pakistan’s premier batter.

The two-match series is part of the World Test Championship. Pakistan currently rank eighth and the West Indies ninth and last.

The West Indies are playing their second Test at the Multan Cricket Stadium. They last entered the venue way back in November 2006 when the Brian Lara-led Caribbean side toured Pakistan. The Inzamam-ul-Haq-captained hosts won that three-match series 2-1.

SCOREBOARD

PAKISTAN (1st Innings):

Shan Masood c Imlach b Motie11

Mohammad Hurraira c Imlach b Seales6

Babar Azam c Imlach b Seales8

Kamran Ghulam lbw Seales5

Saud Shakeel not out56

Mohammad Rizwan not out51

EXTRAS (LB-5, NB-1)6

TOTAL (for four wickets, 41.3 overs)143

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-16 (Huraira), 2-20 (Shan), 3-31 (Kamran), 4-46 (Babar)

STILL TO BAT: Salman Ali Agha, Sajid Khan, Nauman Ali, Khurram Shahzad, Abrar Ahmed