Pakistan pile on the runs in Dubai

Babar Azam, on debut, was 23 not out.

CAPTAIN JASON HOLDER has welcomed the improvement shown by his batsmen, but said West Indies were still searching for the “complete game” after losing the recent one-day global series to Pakistan.

On Friday Ali notched his own with an unbeaten 302 against West Indies in the second ever day-night Test in Dubai to join a select league of batsmen.

The Jason Holder led eleven for the Dubai Test will not only face a stern challenge themselves, but will also propose a challenge for the fans, journalists and commentators, since barring a couple the rest are totally unrecognised names.

Opener Azhar Ali … finished the day unbeaten on 146.

Having posted three centuries in the recent one-day series, Azam (69) helped Pakistan complete 100-run stands for the first three wickets for only the third time.

Azhar Ali’s nearly faultless innings showcased why the 31-year-old is considered one of the leading candidates to take over the Test captaincy when Misbah-ul-Haq departs. Not least, the colour of the ball – pink is a compromise between the traditional red ball for tests and the white ball that was introduced when day-night limited-overs cricket emerged in the 1970s and players started wearing colored clothes. However, he is likely to return to the West Indies Test eleven following impressive half-centuries in the two warm-up matches.

Pakistan carried on and soon crossed the 500-run mark before Azam became Bishoo’s second victim, dismissed for a 105-ball 69 shortly before the dinner break. “It’s the dream of millions to play cricket for Pakistan and I don’t want to waste this opportunity that I have been presented with”, the 22-year-old was quoted as saying by PakPassion.net. The pink ball was also changed in the 135th over as it lost its shape due to some powerful hitting.

Azhar, meanwhile, survived a review for lbw off seamer and captain Jason Holder in the second over after lunch, with television replays showing the delivery missing leg. On resumption, with Misbah-ul-Haq for company, Azhar continued chipping away.

The highest was 581 runs against India in Hyderabad in 1982-83. Pakistan declared their innings at 579 for the loss of three wickets as West Indies had a task in hand.

Yasir Shah (1-13) provided Pakistan with the breakthrough trapping Johnson LBW. Holder and co. should look to their top order, especially, senior batsmen for big totals.

West Indies come into the series on the back of a 2-0 drubbing by India at home and find themselves ninth in the ICC Test rankings just above Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.