Azhar, Azam half-centuries prop up Pakistan on rain-hit day
Azhar Ali’s 85 not out and Babar Azam’s 55 helped Pakistan get to a solid 169 for 2 by the end of the rain-shortened first day of the third and final, and decisive, Test against West Indies at Windsor Park in Roseau, Dominica on Wednesday (May 10), when only 69 overs of play was possible.
Fresh from a first-innings century in the second Test defeat, Azhar was calm and in control as he inched his way towards another three-figure score after over five hours at the crease during which he faced 219 deliveries, hitting seven fours and two sixes.
Azam, who scored a pair in that loss in Barbados, could have been dismissed for 28, but Shane Dowrich, the wicketkeeper, fluffed a regulation chance to let him off, and the batsman rode his luck to get to his second half-century of the series.
That lapse helped the two as Azhar and Azam extended their second-wicket partnership to 120 when Azam was dismissed in an extended final session, offering a catch to Kieran Powell at first slip off Alzarri Joseph.
Younis Khan, who together with Misbah-ul-Haq is playing his farewell Test, will resume with Azhar on the second morning.
Earlier, Jason Holder won the toss and chose to field in heavily overcast conditions, but Shannon Gabriel and Joseph lacked penetration and, in he latter’s case, discipline. That meant Roston Chase, the off-spinner, had to be introduced within the first hour, and he sent back Shan Masood, playing his first game of the series in place of the indisposed Ahmed Shehzad. Masood had reached nine when he prodded at a delivery from Chase for Holder to take a straightforward catch at second slip.
Apart from the recall of Masood, Hasan Ali, the medium pacer,made his debut at the expense of Shadab Khan, the leg-spinner who struggled in his maiden appearance in the second Test.
Pakistan has never won a Test series in the West Indies on seven previous attempts, while West Indies is looking for a first Test series win in five years against a team ranked higher than it.
