Noman and Sajid help Pakistan dominate West Indies in spin battle

Noman Ali and Sajid Khan spun Pakistan into a strong position against the West Indies on Saturday after another spin-dominated second day in the opening Test in Multan.

The pair shared nine wickets to dismiss the West Indies for 137, giving Pakistan a 93-run first-innings lead. By stumps, Pakistan extended that to 202 with a second-innings score of 109-3. Kamran Ghulam and Saud Shakeel were unbeaten on nine and two, respectively, when bad light ended play 25 minutes early.

Left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican (2-17) dismissed Muhammad Hurraira for 29 after an opening stand of 67. Babar Azam, enduring a second failure in the match, fell leg-before for five.

Skipper Shan Masood led with a solid 52, hitting two sixes and two fours, before Warrican ran him out attempting a quick single.

"The weather is foggy, so if we have a continuous play and take our lead over 300, then we can win this Test," Sajid said. "It's great to bowl with Noman, who always guides me."

Warrican said the West Indies were focused on keeping the target below 250.

"Obviously we don't want the lead to go over 250 because it's a spin-favoring surface," Warrican said. "We need a good comeback in batting the second time around."

The dry, grassless Multan pitch has already produced 23 wickets in six sessions — 19 on day two alone. Two-and-a-half hours were lost on day one, with another 30 minutes lost on Saturday due to poor visibility.

Noman claimed 5-39 for his seventh five-wicket haul in Tests, while Sajid finished with 4-65 to dismiss the West Indies in just 25.2 overs.

Sajid opened the bowling and dismissed Mikyle Louis (1), Keacy Carty (0), Kraigg Brathwaite (11), and Kavem Hodge (4) in his first three overs. Noman added four more wickets, leaving the visitors at 66-8.

The tailenders resisted, with Warrican unbeaten on 31 and Gudakesh Motie contributing 19. Jayden Seales hit three sixes in a quick 22 before spinner Abrar Ahmed ended his innings.

Earlier, Warrican took 3-69 as Pakistan lost their last six wickets for 43 runs after resuming at 143-4.

Saud Shakeel top-scored for Pakistan with 84 off 157 balls, including six boundaries, while Mohammad Rizwan added 71. Their 141-run partnership for the fifth wicket rescued Pakistan from 46-4 on day one.