Shan Masood and Muhammad Huraira departed early, while star batter Babar Azam also fell cheaply as Pakistan found themselves struggling at 46/4 on the first day of the Multan Test. However, Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan put up a gritty fightback, leading Pakistan to 143/4 by stumps. Both batters reached unbeaten half-centuries, with Shakeel scoring 56* (4 fours) and Rizwan 51* (7 fours). Their unbeaten partnership of 97 runs stabilized the innings under challenging conditions.
The day started with a thick blanket of fog delaying play by four hours, allowing only 41.3 overs of cricket. Once the game resumed under floodlights, West Indies pacer Jayden Seales wreaked havoc, finishing with impressive figures of 3/21 in 10 overs. He was well-supported by left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie, who took 1/45.
Seales struck in the sixth over, removing debutant Muhammad Huraira for just 6 runs, caught behind. Shortly after, captain Shan Masood was dismissed by Motie, edging to the keeper for 11. Seales continued his onslaught by trapping Kamran Ghulam LBW and claiming the prized wicket of Babar Azam, who was caught behind for just 8 runs.
At this precarious point, Shakeel and Rizwan took charge. Both showcased excellent temperament, rotating the strike effectively and finding boundaries when opportunities arose. Shakeel reached his ninth Test fifty in 86 balls, while Rizwan followed with his 11th Test fifty off 78 deliveries. The pair gave no clear chances to the opposition, frustrating the West Indies bowlers as the light faded.
With fading daylight, the umpires called off play mid-over, concluding an eventful first day where Pakistan battled through tough conditions and relentless bowling to stage a recovery.
Scores Summary:
Pakistan 1st innings: 143/4 in 41.3 overs (Shan Masood 11, Muhammad Huraira 6, Babar Azam 8, Kamran Ghulam 5, Saud Shakeel 56*, Mohammad Rizwan 51*; Jayden Seales 10-1-21-3, Gudakesh Motie 14-1-45-1).
