Tion Imlach didn’t even get a chance to respond to Abrar Ahmed’s delivery. It was a leg-break that landed on middle stump, turning sharply and catching the outside edge of Imlach’s bat before landing safely in the gloves of wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan. According to broadcast data, the ball turned over six degrees, shattering not just Imlach’s stumps but also West Indies’ hopes in the Multan Test.
The third morning in Multan brought a glimmer of hope for the West Indies when they claimed the wicket of Saud Shakeel on the very first ball. Shakeel, who has been Pakistan’s most effective weapon against spin in recent years, fell victim not to a technical flaw or poor shot selection but to the pitch’s unpredictable bounce and excessive turn, which proved challenging for any batsman.
The conditions over the past three days defied the basic laws of physics, making it difficult to assess any player’s true ability. Across four innings, only four batsmen managed to cross the 50-run mark. While technical precision is always a Test batsman’s strength, the behavior of most deliveries here was so unusual that even skill was left at the mercy of luck.
The match’s outcome was heavily influenced by key wickets in the first innings, particularly those of Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan. The West Indies lost their last seven wickets for just 51 runs, which restored some confidence in their dressing room. However, Sajid Khan’s early onslaught once again pushed the West Indies on the back foot.
Alick Athanaze showed foresight by deciding to anchor himself at the crease. He built a solid partnership with Tion Imlach, reigniting West Indies’ hopes of survival. But Abrar Ahmed’s delivery shattered those hopes, and the last five West Indian wickets fell for just 28 runs.
The Multan Test was a spectacle of unbelievable cricket, with 40 wickets falling in just 176 overs across four innings. The Multan Stadium, often considered a batsman’s paradise, turned into a nightmare this time, with an average of just 16 runs per wicket.
While technical and psychological factors may have contributed to the West Indies’ downfall, the ultimate truth of the first Test in Multan was that Pakistan’s spin attack obliterated all hopes of the visitors. The turning pitch proved to be the decisive factor, leaving the West Indies with little to celebrate.
