West Indies spinner Gudakesh Motie delivered a stunning ball on Day 1 of the second Test between Pakistan and the West Indies at Multan Cricket Stadium, sending star batter Babar Azam back to the pavilion for just one run.
New Delhi: West Indies spinner Gudakesh Motie delivered a stunning ball on Day 1 of the second Test between Pakistan and the West Indies at Multan Cricket Stadium, sending star batter Babar Azam back to the pavilion for just one run.
The wicket came in the seventh over of Pakistan’s first innings when Motie bowled a flat, fast delivery that kept low. Babar tried to play a late cut, but the ball sped past his bat and hit the off stump. Babar, who had been out of form in red-ball cricket, was dismissed for a single run off five balls, leaving Pakistan at 25/2.
Babar Azam’s continued struggles in the current series have become a subject of discussion. After posting single-digit scores in the opening Test, his dismissal in the ongoing match further emphasized his ongoing poor form. Although he has been in good form in limited-overs cricket, his performances in red-ball formats, particularly against quality spin bowling on spinning wickets, have raised concerns.
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Noman Ali became first Pakistani spinner to take Test hat-trick:
The match began with the West Indies winning the toss and choosing to bat first, but they suffered a dramatic collapse, ultimately being dismissed for 163 runs following a historic performance by Pakistan spinner Noman Ali. The left-arm bowler became the first Pakistani spinner to claim a Test hat-trick, removing Justin Greaves, Tevin Imlach, and Kevin Sinclair. His remarkable effort kept the West Indies to a low total. However, Motie battled hard, scoring 55 runs, and Jomel Warrican added an unbeaten 36 to help them cross 150.
In reply, Pakistan encountered early difficulties. Opener Muhammad Hurraira was dismissed cheaply for nine, while Shan Masood and Babar Azam also failed to stabilize the innings. The team lost the wickets of Kamran Ghulam and Saud Shakeel, putting them in a difficult position. Meanwhile, wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan once again stepped up, showing great resilience with the bat.
