The visitors, who lost gut-wrenchingly by just one wicket in the previous Test, found themselves three down for only two runs before skipper Babar Azam and Fawad Alam helped them bounce back.
Windies couldn’t break through the stand of Babar and Fawad easily. The two batted with great patience and discipline under difficult circumstances and shared a 166-run fourth-wicket stand to push Pakistan towards a respectable 212/4 by the close of play.
As it happened, Pakistan made the worst possible start to the proceedings after losing the toss and being asked to bat by the hosts. The Asian giants lost their top three batters – Abid Ali (1), Imran Butt (1) and Azhar Ali (0) – inside the first four overs.
In an opening burst of skill and pace, experienced quick Kemar Roach (3/49) and young gun Jayden Seales (1/25) ran through the Pakistani top-order, which would have been hoping for some respite coming into this Test after finding it really difficult to score in the previous game.
But their life only got tougher here before they were quickly relieved from their misery by Roach and Seales.
At 2-3, the tourists were left desperately needing two of their best players – Babar and Fawad – to rescue them and take the game back to the opposition. And the two batting stalwarts did exactly that with their defiant stand, which lasted nearly 57 overs before cramps under the scorching heat at Sabina Park forced Fawad to retire hurt.
He played another fighting knock of 76 off 149 balls for Pakistan, while his captain also made a typically good-looking 75 from 174 balls at the other end.
The way he was batting, Babar seemed destined to get a major ton on the day. But his long, fruitful stay was brought to an end by Roach, who got his man nicking behind off a ball that initially threatened to come into the batsman before straightening off the pitch to take the outside edge.
On what was an attritional day, Pakistan were still only 168/4 when Fawad and Babar were back in the pavilion. It seemed at that stage that West Indies could really regain momentum and make short work of the visitors’ lower-order as they did in the first Test.
But, inspired by Babar and Fawad’s effort, wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan and all-rounder Faheem Ashraf fought hard and remained not out till the time bad light forced umpires to call the game off after just 74 overs. Rizwan was 22 not out, while Faheem stood unbeaten on 23 when the play was over for the day.
Pakistan will hope that their last recognised batting pair can continue to add to their partnership on Day 2 – with an eye on potential recovery of Fawad – and that their lower-order stands resurrected after a poor outing in both the innings of the first Test. It’s where West Indies crucially stood stronger last week and eventually came out triumphant.
Roach and Seales were the pick of the bowlers for the West Indies. They were backed up quite brilliantly by premier all-rounder Jason Holder and even medium quick Kyle Mayers. While the duo got no wickets to show for their effort, they were instrumental in ensuring Pakistan had no easy runs on offer, giving away just 42 runs collectively off their 26 overs.
Brief scores
Pakistan 212/4 in 74 overs (Fawad Alam 76*, Babar Azam 75; Kemar Roach 3/49, Jayden Seales 1/25) versus West Indies
