West Indies reached 239 for 5 at stumps on Day 1 of the second Test against Pakistan
Debutants Ali Usman and Ubaid Shah struck for Pakistan, leaving the hosts wobbling at 173 for 5
An unbroken 66-run partnership between Justin Greaves and Roston Chase stabilised the innings
The opening day of the second Test between the West Indies and Pakistan at the historic Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad, concluded with the hosts moving to a stable position of 239 for 5 after 74 overs.
Electing to bat first under overcast skies and a pitch largely devoid of early grass, the West Indies top-order showed aggressive intent, though persistent weather interruptions and disciplined bowling kept Pakistan heavily invested throughout the day.
The home side began brightly with an enterprising 49-run opening stand between Brandon King and Tagenarine Chanderpaul. King played some elegant strokes, racing to 46 off 50 deliveries with nine boundaries before being trapped leg-before-wicket by debutant left-arm spinner Ali Usman.
Chanderpaul chipped in with 15 before edging Mohammad Ali to Sajid Khan. Rain forced an early interruption shortly after, halting momentum.
Following the resumption, Pakistan’s bowling unit tightened the screws. Kavem Hodge fell cheaply for 10 to Sajid Khan, and debutant pacer Ubaid Shah picked up his maiden Test wicket by dismissing Amir Jangoo for 26, leaving the West Indies wobbling at 173 for 5 after Shai Hope was bowled by Mohammad Ali for a gritty 29.
However, an unbroken sixth-wicket recovery led by the resilient Justin Greaves and captain Roston Chase steered the innings back on track. Greaves fought through a left leg injury sustained while running, bringing up an impressive, unbeaten 64.
He survived a late chance when Pakistan captain Babar Azam put down a catch at leg-slip. Alongside Chase, who finished unbeaten on 36, Greaves stitched together a crucial, unbroken 66-run partnership. At stumps, honours were evenly shared on a compelling first day.
Stumps on Day 1 was ultimately called prematurely due to fading bad light, halting the action just as the partnership was beginning to flourish.
Looking ahead to the second morning, the onus will heavily rest on this resilient lower-middle-order pair to extend their partnership and push the total past the 300-run mark.
With a damp pitch offering variable bounce and spin as the match progresses, Pakistan will look to grab an early breakthrough with the second new ball to expose a thin West Indies tail, setting up a fascinating battle for dominance on Day 2.
