Sharjah: After an intense battle for domination between Pakistan and West Indies, the third and final Test match is poised for a gripping finish on the final day on Thursday.
West Indies, under fire for their spineless performance in the series, are within striking distance from a consolation victory, needing only 39 more runs, but Pakistan are eyeing the remaining five wickets in the hopes of pulling off a miraculous victory.
Only a miracle can now save Pakistan who had batted recklessly in both the innings. Kraigg Brathwaite, who carried the bat through in the first innings, is at the crease with an unbeaten 44 while Shane Dowrich is unconquered on 36. This pair has put on an unbeaten 47 runs for the sixth wicket after West Indies made heavy weather of a gettable target of 153 to win and had slipped to 67 for five, thanks to Yasir Shah (3 for 30) and Wahab Riaz (2 for 30). The fact that Pakistan had lost their last five wickets for 33 runs in their second innings proves that wickets can still crumble in the face of tight bowling.
The day began with Pakistan starting on a positive note with Sarfraz Ahmad playing a classic square drive off Shannon Gabriel which raced to the boundary. Sarfraz also cracked Jason Holder through point to announce that he was in command.
Azhar Ali reached his 22nd half-century with a boundary off Gabriel. The delivery was a half-volley gift down the leg side.
The pair put on an invaluable 86 in 33.1 overs when Devendra Bishoo had Sarfraz playing a nick into the hands of Darren Bravo at slips. It looked like Sarfraz was giving catching practice to Bravo and he walked away terribly disappointed at missing his half century by eight runs. Pakistan were only ahead by 78 runs at that point.
Mohammad Nawaz joined Ali as Gabriel generated tremendous pace and made both the batsmen hurry. Holder too used his height to repeatedly bounce the batsmen. They held on and at lunch, Pakistan were 159 for five, a lead of 104 runs with five wickets in hand.
When it looked like Pakistan were gaining control through Nawaz and Ali, Bishoo struck again to end the 41-run partnership that lasted 18.2 overs. Bowling on the rough around the batsman’s leg stump, he forced Nawaz to inside-edge on to his pad and Leon Johnson at short leg took a one-handed catch. Pakistan’s lead was only 119 runs then.
Next man Mohammad Amir would have fell for a duck had Holder held on to the thick edge off Joseph at gully, but Bishoo struck the biggest blow for Pakistan. He dismissed Ali who was nine short of his century. Like Sarfraz, he played into the hands of Bravo at slips. To make matters worse, Amir got run out and Holder removing Wahab Riaz and Yasir Shah completed a five-wicket haul.
Pakistan, needing quick wickets, introduced their strike bowler Yasir in the eighth over and he promptly struck with the third ball of his first over trapping Johnson leg before for 12 with a flipper. Johnson would have departed much earlier had Misbah and Sami Aslam not dropped him at zero and three, respectively. Going for a pull, Johnson missed the ball which kept low.
West Indies’ in-form batsman Darren Bravo lasted only nine balls before Yasir had him caught behind for three with a delivery that drifted away. Marlon Samuels and Brathwaite added 22 runs before Samuels threw away his wicket by lofting Yasir straight to Zulfiqar Babar at long-off for 10.
Three down for 57, West Indies still needed 96 runs to win. Wahab Riaz beat next man Jermaine Blackwood with sheer pace to have his stumps shattered. Roston Chase too did not stay long at the wicket and hit an incoming delivery from Riaz straight to Mohammad Nawaz at mid-wicket.
