Spinner Sajid Khan took five wickets and Abrar Ahmed another four to guide Pakistan to a 127-run victory on the third day of the first Test against the West Indies in Multan on Sunday.
Sajid took 5-50 for match figures of 9-115, while Abrar Ahmed took 4-27 as West Indies were bowled out for 123, well short of their victory target of 251.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated the team in a post on X.
“Spin to win! Brilliant bowling from Pakistan team!
“Congratulations to our cricket team on a spectacular victory. Shabash! [Well done]” said.
“I extend my praise to Mohsin Naqvi, Chairman of PCB, and his entire team for their tireless efforts,” he went on to say.
Pakistan spinners took all the wickets in the West Indies’ second innings, with Noman Ali contributing 1-42, as the home team took an early lead in the two-Test series.
Left-handed batsman Alick Athanaze scored 55, the only half-century of the match for the tourists, and added 41 runs for the sixth wicket with Tevin Imlach.
Sajid removed the dangerous Athanaze, while Abrar’s haul included the final wicket of Jomel Warrican.
Left-arm spinner Warrican had led the tourists’ spin attack with a career-best 7-32 as Pakistan were bowled out for 157 in their second innings. They were the best figures by a West Indies bowler in Pakistan, beating fast bowler Malcolm Marshall by 5-33 in Lahore in 1986.
Pakistan captain Shan Masood praised his spinners but said he wanted to see an improvement in the team’s batting.
“The spinners were clinical and Abrar along with Noman and Sajid were great,” Masood said. “Batting was tough on this pitch but we still need to add more runs with the last few wickets and there are improvements to be made.”
His defeated counterpart, Kraigg Brathwaite, wanted the West Indies batsmen to believe in his abilities.
“The batsmen didn’t play as well as they should have,” Brathwaite said. “We saw how Alick played, so we have to be brave. We have one more test left and we have to believe in ourselves.”
The Test lasted less than eight sessions, with the start being delayed on the first day due to poor visibility.
Multan’s delivery provided a sharp turn, with Sajid taking the wickets of Brathwaite (12), Keacy Carty (six), Kavem Hodge (0) and Mikyle Louis (13).
Noman then trapped Justin Greaves leg short of the wicket for nine in the last over before lunch, leaving the tourists reeling at 54-5.
Noman won 5-39 in the first inning. He and Sajid took 39 of the 40 wickets in the last two Tests against England in Pakistan’s 2-1 series win last year.
Pakistan had earlier resumed at 109-3 but managed to add only 48 runs.
Warrican’s persistent line and length earned him match figures of 10-101, his first 10-wicket match haul.
He dismissed overnight batsman Saud Shakeel for two with the first ball of the day and then had Mohammad Rizwan for the same score in his next over.
Warrican continued the demolition with the wickets of Kamran Ghulam (27), Noman (nine) and Sajid (five).
The second match will begin on January 25, also in Multan.
