Bishoo, Gabriel thwart Pakistan charge

Devendra Bishoo and Shannon Gabriel shared seven wickets between them to stop Pakistan from posting a big total on the opening day of the third and final Test in Sharjah on Sunday (October 30) after Misbah-ul-Haq won the toss and opted to bat.

Pakistan was cruising along at 230 for 4 when West Indies grabbed four quick wickets to put it on the back foot at 255 for 8 by close of play. At stumps, Mohammad Amir was batting on six and Yasir Shah was on one.

Pakistan, who won a good toss on a batting-friendly pitch, had Sami Aslam (72), Misbah (53), Younis Khan (51) and Sarfraz Ahmed (51) all failing to build on good starts.

Sarfraz and Misbah had added 80 for the fifth wicket but Pakistan lost four wickets in the space of 18 runs after that, with Bishoo returning 4 for 74 and Gabriel 3 for 58.

That could hurt Pakistan's chances of making it 3-0 against West Indies, after winning the first Test by 56 runs in Dubai and the second by 133 runs in Abu Dhabi.

Misbah had started his record 49th Test as captain – bettering Imran Khan's feat of 48 – on a good note when he won his third straight toss but the batsmen could have exercised a bit more caution. Misbah himself gloved a reverse-sweep off Bishoo after having hit three fours and a six.

Aslam, who added 106 for the third wicket with Younis, also fell to a reverse-sweep off Bishoo after looking set for his maiden century, having hit seven fours and a six in his 172-ball knock.

Younis, who hit four boundaries and a six ase in completing his 31st Test half-century, also played a bold shot and was caught off Roston Chase.

Sarfraz, who hit five fours, was bolwed by Gabriel while at the other end Bishoo had Wahab Riaz out for four.

Earlier, it was Gabriel who jolted the Pakistan innings at the start with the wickets of Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq in the very first over of the match. Azhar, who scored a career-best 302 not out in the first Test, edged a lifting delivery from Gabriel to slip after Aslam had taken a single off the first ball.

Shafiq also survived just one delivery before being trapped lbw as Jason Holder successfully challenged a not-out call.

Pakistan brought back Amir and Riaz – rested for the second Test – in place of Sohail Khan and Rahat Ali. West Indies also made two changes from the Abu Dhabi Test, with fit-again Shane Dowrich replacing Shai Hope and Alzarri Joseph coming in for Miguel Cummins.