Seales takes five wickets as West Indies beat Pakistan in first Test | Cricket News
West Indies Defeats Pakistan in Opening Test, 1-0 Series Lead
TAROUBA, Trinidad and Tobago (AP) — Jayden Seales led the West Indies to a decisive 90-run victory over Pakistan in the first Test match, claiming five wickets for just 20 runs on Tuesday—day four of the contest.
The West Indies built a 29-run lead after the first innings, scoring 181 runs in their second innings to set the visitors a target of 211. Seales, alongside his fellow fast bowlers, dismantled the Pakistani batting order, bowling the team out for 120 runs in just over 40 overs.
Despite a resilient unbeaten 58 from Pakistan captain Babar Azam, who formed a last-ditch partnership with Mohammad Abbas (23), Pakistan’s chances diminished after they collapsed to 71 for 9.
Shan Masood, who suffered a finger fracture during his first innings score of 109, took to the field at number eight in the second innings but was dismissed by Seales after scoring just three runs.
West Indies captain Roston Chase dedicated the win to cricket legend Garry Sobers, who passed away earlier this month. “We wanted to make him proud and had a chat about it before the match. I hope he is smiling down on us,” Chase remarked.
He expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance. “I love the direction this team is heading. We’re not relying on one or two players; everyone is chipping in at crucial moments,” he added.
Babar acknowledged that Pakistan’s failure to form substantial partnerships was a significant factor in their loss. “Today, as a batting unit, we weren’t up to the mark. We kept losing wickets back-to-back, and the batting failed. That’s something we’re working on,” he said.
The second and final Test in the series is set to commence on Sunday in Port of Spain.
