Tarouba, July 28, 2026: Pakistan tightened their grip on the opening Test against the West Indies after a dominant bowling display left the hosts struggling at 126/7 in their second innings at stumps on the third day at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, with the tourists requiring just three more wickets to set up a modest run chase.
West Indies ended the day on 126/7, holding an overall lead of 155 runs after Pakistan had conceded a narrow first-innings deficit of 29. Shamar Joseph remained unbeaten on 22 alongside Kemar Roach on five as the lower-order pair added an unbroken 33 runs for the eighth wicket to prevent a complete collapse.
Pakistan’s pace attack once again proved decisive, with Mohammad Abbas producing a superb spell to claim 3-14 in 13 overs. Khurram Shahzad took two wickets, while Mohammad Ali and Aamer Jamal picked up one apiece.
Defending a slender deficit, Pakistan struck early when Abbas removed Brandon King for five and Kevlon Hodge without scoring in the fourth over, reducing the West Indies to 7-2.
Opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Amir Jangoo attempted to rebuild with a cautious 21-run partnership before Mohammad Ali dismissed Jangoo for four. Ali struck again soon afterwards to remove wicketkeeper-batter Shai Hope for 10, leaving the hosts in deep trouble at 43-4.
Justin Greaves then joined Chanderpaul in a brief recovery that added 37 runs for the fifth wicket. However, Aamer Jamal ended the stand by dismissing Chanderpaul, who top-scored with a patient 35 off 101 deliveries.
Pakistan continued to dominate as Abbas removed Greaves for 20 before Khurram Shahzad had captain Roston Chase caught behind for eight, reducing the West Indies to 93-7.
Joseph and Roach then frustrated Pakistan’s bowlers with a stubborn unbeaten eighth-wicket partnership worth 33 runs, taking the home side to the close without further damage.
Earlier, Pakistan were bowled out for 282 after resuming their first innings at 199-3, conceding a first-innings lead of 29 runs despite a magnificent century by Shan Masood.
Resuming with Salman Ali Agha, Masood extended Pakistan’s recovery as the pair added 47 valuable runs for the fourth wicket. During the partnership, Masood reached his seventh Test century and his first since relinquishing the Pakistan Test captaincy.
Shamar Joseph eventually broke the stand by bowling Salman Ali Agha for a patient 20, before Justin Greaves triggered a dramatic collapse by dismissing Masood for a superb 109 off 184 balls, an innings featuring 12 boundaries.
Greaves continued his outstanding spell by removing Aamer Jamal (3), debutant Ali Usman (0) and Mohammad Rizwan (12) in quick succession to derail Pakistan’s innings.
The West Indies all-rounder completed his maiden five-wicket haul in Test cricket by dismissing Mohammad Abbas for a duck before Kemar Roach wrapped up the innings by removing Khurram Shahzad, who contributed a fighting 19.
Greaves finished with exceptional figures of 5-27 in 11 overs, while Roach and Shamar Joseph claimed two wickets each and Jayden Seales took one.
With West Indies holding a lead of 155 runs and only three wickets remaining, Pakistan will head into the fourth day firmly in control and hopeful of restricting the hosts to a chaseable target before pushing for victory in the series opener.
