Barbados [West Indies]: Pakistan Test skipper Misbah-ul-haq has admitted that his team had no answers to West Indies’ bowlers during the second innings of the Barbados Test which the visitors lost by 106 runs.
Chasing a target of 188 after leg-spinner Yasir Shah’s seven for 94 wrapped up the home side’s second innings at 268 at the start of Day Five, Pakistan were bundled out for just 81 in 34.4 overs 80 minutes after lunch.
It was Shannon Gabriel who produced a magical spell of hostile fast bowling and took 5-11 in the second inning to break the backbone of Pakistan’s batting.
“You can easily say that it’s about batting on a day-five pitch. But after getting them 150-odd for 6 in the first innings and letting them score 300-plus, we let it slip. Then, we were in control batting at 316 for 4, but could only manage a lead of 81. I think that made a huge difference, and we all knew even on the first day that it’s [the pitch] going to get worse,” ESPNcricinfo quoted Misbah as saying.
He admitted the fact that had they managed a bigger first innings lead, the result could have been entirely different.
“On the last day, all credit to the West Indian bowlers, they hit their lines, they bowled their heart out, and we really had no answers,” he added.
At one stage, Pakistan were in danger of their lowest-ever total when Shehzad and Shadab Khan fell shortly after lunch at 36 for seven. However, Sarfraz Ahmed and Mohammad Amir took them past their lowest total of 49 with a gritting 42-run stand.
Ahmed, the top scorer with 23, was the final man out in the afternoon session as the visitors bowed before the West Indies.
The victory of the host now leaves the series at 1-1 with the third and the final Test to be played in Dominica beginning next Wednesday. (ANI)