Fawad Alam and Babar Azam lifted Pakistan against the West Indies on the first day of the second and final cricket Test in Kingston on Friday.
The stand between Alam and Azam took Pakistan to 160 for 2 from 3 before Alam on 76 was forced to retire with cramps and eight runs later Azam fell for 75 that left them fearing another collapse that was thwarted when Mohammad Rizwan (22 not out) and Faheem Ashraff (23 not out) stayed together to see Pakistan bat out 13.2 overs before the day’s play ended with total at 212 for 4.
Azam and Alam plundered 24 fours between them after Pakistan lost both openers Abid Ali and Imran Butt for just one run each on a lively pitch as paceman Kemar Roach and Jayden Seales did the damage to have Ali caught in the slips and Butt edging a ball to wicket-keeper Joshua da Silva.
But Roach went further and grabbed the scalp of number three bat Azhar Ali for a duck in the fourth over of the match as Pakistan slumped to one of their worst starts in Test cricket in recent years.
Alam is expected to bat on the second day after recovering from his cramps and his task is likely to be equally harder on with the cream of the Pakistan batting watching the match from the pavilion.
Scores:
Pakistan 212 for 4 (Babar Azam 75, Fawad Alam 76 retired hurt, Kemar Roach 3 for 49) vs West Indies