Seales Shines as West Indies Dominate Fog-Delayed Test in Multan

MULTAN, Pakistan — Fast bowler Jayden Seales delivered a masterclass in seam bowling on a fog-affected opening day of the first Test between Pakistan and West Indies, leaving the hosts reeling at 143-4 after just 41.3 overs of play. The match, delayed by four hours due to poor visibility, saw Seales claim three crucial wickets to put West Indies in control.

Seales, the lone frontline fast bowler in the West Indies lineup, exploited the challenging conditions to dismiss debutant Mohammad Hurraira, Kamran Ghulam, and Pakistan’s star batter Babar Azam. His figures of 3-21 off 10 overs were instrumental in restricting Pakistan, who had opted to bat first on a dry, grassless pitch expected to favor spinners later in the match.

“We saw from the training sessions that the ball did a little bit when it was new,” Seales said in a post-match press conference. “For me, I needed to try and get the best out of the new ball and put the ball in the right areas. And with the cooler conditions this afternoon, it did a bit and it worked out for us.”

Pakistan’s recovery was led by Saud Shakeel (56 not out) and Mohammad Rizwan (51 not out), who stitched together an unbroken 97-run partnership after the hosts slumped to 46-4. The duo navigated a disciplined West Indies attack, which included three spinners, to keep Pakistan afloat.

Seales’ dismissal of Babar Azam was particularly noteworthy. The delivery, which nipped away slightly off the seam, caught the outside edge of Azam’s bat, continuing the batter’s struggles at home. “I figured that he was watching my hand a bit, so I just tried to deceive him,” Seales said. “It so happened that paid off.”

The match, part of the World Test Championship (2023-2025), holds significant importance for both teams. Pakistan currently ranks eighth in the standings, while West Indies sit at the bottom in ninth place. With spin expected to dominate as the game progresses, Seales’ early breakthroughs could prove decisive.

Play was severely impacted by fog, which wiped out the entire first session. The conditions, coupled with the pitch preparation aimed at aiding spinners, made Seales’ performance all the more remarkable. “As a fast bowler in Asian countries, you tend to want to make a big impact,” he said. “Spin obviously dominates in these conditions. So as a fast bowler, I always wanted to get a wicket or be in the game.”

Seales, who made his Test debut against Pakistan four years ago, has a history of rising to the occasion against this opposition. His eight-wicket haul in that match helped West Indies secure a thrilling one-wicket victory. “I don’t really think of it as pressure or anything like that [being the sole seamer],” he said. “For me as a player, [it’s] coming into the game a lot more and lifting my hand up for the team.”

With two days of play remaining and the pitch expected to deteriorate, the stage is set for a gripping contest between bat and ball. For now, Seales and West Indies have seized the initiative, leaving Pakistan with plenty to ponder.