Sajid Khan And Noman Ali Help Pakistan Etch Name In Elite List

Soumyajit Dutta

Sajid Khan and Noman Ali's tight bowling helped Pakistan bag a place in elite list [Source: @PakPassion/X.com]Sajid Khan and Noman Ali's tight bowling helped Pakistan bag a place in elite list [Source: @PakPassion/X.com]

The ongoing Pakistan-West Indies Test series has entered the record books, securing its place as one of the most spin-dominated contests in Test cricket history. This series now ranks second in the all-time list for the best averages by spinners in a single series.

Notably, spinners took 56 wickets at an average of 16.44, only behind the 1958 New Zealand-England series. The record has been forged through the incredible efforts of Pakistan's spin duo, Sajid Khan and Noman Ali, who have played pivotal roles in their team's dominance. 

Series
Wicket
Average
New Zealand vs England6313.26
Pakistan vs West Indies5616.44
Australia vs England5516.67
South Africa vs India9517.24
Pakistan vs England7518.50

Best averages by spinners in a Test series

Spin-friendly Track Aids Sajid-Noman Duo To Bag Pakistan Place In Elite List

The challenging spin-friendly surfaces at Multan have created a favourable environment for the spinners, and both teams have found themselves struggling against the turn and bounce. The dominance of spin bowlers has been evident throughout the series, with wickets continuing to tumble at regular intervals. 

In the first Test, Pakistan triumphed by 127 runs, with spinners from both teams stealing the spotlight. Since then, each innings has been plagued by low scores, with the highest total being Pakistan’s 200 in the first innings of the opening Test. The trend continued in the second Test, where both teams were dismissed for under 170 in their respective first innings.

Sajid And Noman's Havoc On West Indies Batters

Pakistan’s spinners have been at the forefront of this historic achievement, with their impressive performances in both innings. Sajid Khan’s tenacity and Noman Ali’s consistent wicket-taking have been crucial in Pakistan's efforts to build pressure on the West Indies and capitalize on the surface conditions.

So far, Noman Ali has bagged 16 wickets for his team in this series and is also a sensation for Pakistan now, because of his historic hat-trick. Significantly, Noman became the first Pakistani spinner to ever bag a hat-trick in a Test match.

Sajid Khan's contributions are also not to be forgotten. The off-spin bowler shone as he bagged 15 wickets in this series so far with a 9-wicket haul in the first Test. 

Meanwhile, from the West Indies' side, Jomel Warrican was the one who kept Pakistan under pressure. The left-arm spinner had a 10-wicket haul in the first Test and is continuing his havoc in the 2nd Test as well as he already bagged five wickets.