SPORTS

Day-night Test: Bravo's heroics in vain as Pakistan win

October 18, 2016 06:55 IST

IMAGE: Players of Pakistan celebrates after winning the first Test against West Indies at Dubai International Cricket Ground. Photograph: Francois Nel/Getty Images.

A heroic and historic century from Darren Bravo put West Indies in sight of the unlikeliest win in the first Test in Dubai on Monday before Pakistan finally prevailed by 56 runs on an absorbing final day of the day-night contest.

- Scorecard

Chasing a daunting target of 346, Bravo compiled the eighth Test ton of his career to offer the faint prospect of a fantastic West Indies win after they had trailed by 222 on first innings following Pakistan's monumental 579 for three.

It was the first century to be scored in day-night Test cricket using the pink ball.

IMAGE: Darren Bravo of West Indies celebrates reaching his century during Day 5. Photograph: Francois Nel/Getty Images.

Bravo's patient batting, following his 87 in the first innings, kept alive West Indies' hopes after Devendra Bishoo's eight-wicket haul had brought them back into the match on the penultimate day.

Yet once Bravo's 249-ball vigil was ended when he became the seventh Windies victim, caught brilliantly for 116 by Yasir Shah off his own bowling, there was only going to be one fitting outcome to Pakistan's 400th Test.

Noble resistance from captain Jason Holder, unbeaten on 40, kept alive the faintest hopes of Windies survival into the final hour but the run-outs of tail-enders Miguel Cummins and Shannon Gabriel, as Holder attempted to farm the strike, ensured Pakistan took a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series.

Source: REUTERS
© Copyright 2024 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.

Recommended by Rediff.com

NEXT ARTICLE

NewsBusinessMoviesSportsCricketGet AheadDiscussionLabsMyPageVideosCompany Email