Of all the varied definitions of Pakistan cricket, one that can never be denied is their ability to make things interesting. And they lived up to expectations on Sunday as their batsmen allowed West Indies back into the match when it should have been put beyond them.
Their performance across the four days here in Dubai have stuck to the script in terms of “Misbah’s Pakistan”, mixing the obdurate with both the brilliant and awful.
A won toss, the election to bat and two days draining the opposition in the field were customary. As was Wahab Riaz’s game changing spell without the Hollywood figures he so often misses out on yet deserves and Yasir Shah’s inevitable destruction.
But Pakistan saved the best for last in the evening session of day four, their batting capitulating as West Indies finally produced a display of note with the ball to set up a fifth day chase that entertains hopes of all three results.
It was just the kind of progression in play that this match needed and it will hopefully draw a few more fans to the ground on the final day to witness what promises to be a fascinating 90 overs of cricket.
Yasir's Test record
- Age: 30, Debut: 2014
- Matches: 17, Wickets: 100, Average: 27.48, S/R: 53.7
- BBI: 7/76, BBM: 10/141
- 5WI: 7, 10WM: 1
And as the game took grip, so did the leg-spinners as Yasir and West Indies counterpart Devendra Bishoo instigated a turn of events that saw the wickets falling more than double on day four with 16 dismissals to the previous three days’ nine.
Earlier in the day, it was Yasir who wrapped up the West Indies tail, making history in the process as the joint second fastest bowler to 100 Test wickets in just his 17th match.
Yasir was at his typical best, constantly threatening with an aggressive, persistent line and bowling subtle variety that dumfounded the batsmen.
He ended up with his seventh Test five-for, with figures of 5-121 to show for his efforts.
At the end of West Indies’ innings they were still 222 runs adrift and Pakistan could have chosen to enforce a follow-on for the first time since 2002 but quite rightly decided against doing so considering how difficult it is to bat here when entering the final three sessions.
The tourists’ response was admirable as Devendra Bishoo channelled his inner Yasir to account for six Pakistan batsman after tea and two more in the first over after the break to make all three results a real possibility.
As good as West Indies were, Pakistan’ collapse left a lot to be desired as their bid for quick runs ended in being woefully misguided as they threw wickets away. Bishoo was the chief benefactor, six of his eight wickets entirely avoidable from a Pakistan perspective.
By the time Bishoo finished with Test best figures of 8-49 – the fifth best return by a West Indian bowler in their Test history – Pakistan were all out for 123, something that should never have happened on such a flat pitch.
It set West Indies a target of 346 to win with 132 overs in which to do so. On paper, at least, it is well within their scope.
Defying Pakistan’s bowlers on the last day is no easy feat, especially with the turn taking on a sharper note with every over that passes.
But West Indies, with the assistance of Pakistan, have put themselves in a position to do just that, closing on 95-2 and needing 151 more runs to secure a famous victory.
It leaves us with a tantalising prospect of play on Monday as this contest comes to a head, Mohammad Amir’s two wickets serving as a much needed boost for Pakistan to set the match up for a grand finale.
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