Fawad Alam's ton, Shaheen Afridi's twin strikes put visitors on top

Kingston: Fawad Alam hit a brilliant hundred before Shaheen Shah Afridi picked two wickets to put Pakistan in the driver's seat in the second Test against West Indies on Sunday (local time).

Fawad stroked his fifth career century, fourth since his comeback 12 months ago, as Pakistan wrestled back in the Sabina Park Test marred by rain that lost the entire second day's play and more than the first session's play on the third day due to wet ground. Fawad, who had retired during the first day's play on Friday at 76 due to cramps, returned on Sunday afternoon to remain unconquered on 124 that helped Babar Azam to make an attacking and aggressive declaration at 302 for nine. This was after the visitors were left tottering at 2-3 before the completion of the fourth over of the second Test.

Shaheen Shah Afridi then sent Kieron Powell (five) and Kraigg Brathwaite (four) packing at the score of nine and Faheem Ashraf disturbed the symmetry of Roshan Chase's stumps as the West Indies were reduced to 39 for three before bad light forced an early draw of stumps.

Nkrumah Bonner (18) and nightwatchman Alzarri Joseph (0) will resume the West Indies' first innings on Monday morning.

Fawad, who returned to the Test arena in August 2020 against England nearly 11 years after playing his third and last Test, faced 213 deliveries of which 17 were converted into fours.

On Sunday, he scored 48 runs from 64 balls with six fours. Fawad reached the coveted three-figure mark from 186 balls with 16 fours.

Pakistan had resumed their first innings at the overnight score of 212 for four but soon lost Faheem Ashraf (26), Mohammad Rizwan (31) and Nauman Ali (0) to be reduced to 231 for seven.

At that stage, Fawad and Hasan Ali (nine) put on 36 runs for the eighth wicket, while Fawad and Shaheen Shah Afridi (19) added 35 runs for the ninth wicket to allow Babar to declare the first innings at 302 for nine.

This meant the late order, that let Pakistan down in the first Test, came good this time by contributing 71 runs.

For the West Indies, Jayden Seales (three for 31), Kemar Roach (three for 68) and Jason Holder (two for 46) shared wickets.

Brief Scores: Pakistan 302/9d, (Fawad Alam 124*, Babar Azam 75; Jayden Seales 3-31); West Indies 39/3 (Nkrumah Bonner 18; Shaheen Shah Afridi 2-13)