Shan Masood departs [Source: @SirTahmidAhmed/X.com]
Shan Masood, Pakistan’s skipper, faced an unfortunate early exit in the 2nd Test match against the West Indies at the Multan Cricket Stadium. The left-handed batter was dismissed after scoring just 15 runs, leaving Pakistan in a tricky position on Day 1 of their first innings.
West Indies pacer Kemar Roach delivered a stunning blow to Pakistan in the 8th over of the innings. On the third ball of the over, Roach bowled a beauty of a delivery to send Masood packing.
The ball was pitched on a good length and came in sharply from around the wicket at 128 kmph. Masood attempted an ambitious drive away from his body but left a gap between his bat and pad. The ball brushed his front pad and crashed into the stumps, leaving the Pakistani skipper stunned.
West Indies Struggle With The Bat Vs Pakistan
Earlier in the match, West Indies failed to make the most of winning the toss and electing to bat first. Pakistan’s spinners completely dominated, bundling the visitors out for just 163 runs before Lunch on Day 1.
Debutant Kashif Ali made an immediate impact by claiming his first Test wicket, dismissing Mikyle Louis early on. The spin trio of Sajid Khan, Nauman Ali, and Abrar Ahmed then wreaked havoc, reducing the West Indies to 54/8 at one stage. Some late resistance from the tailenders helped the visitors avoid complete humiliation, but it was still a disappointing outing for the West Indies batting lineup.
Despite their strong bowling performance, Pakistan’s batting lineup also showed signs of vulnerability. At the time of writing, Pakistan are at 71 for 4 in 23 overs.