Brathwaite hails West Indies’ long-awaited win in Pakistan

MULTAN: West Indies bowler Jomel Warrican dominated his team´s first victory over Pakistan in nearly 35 years on Monday, with skipper Kraigg Brathwaite labelling it an “outstanding” performance.

The 32-year-old left-arm spinner took nine wickets to spearhead a series-levelling win against the hosts on the third day of the second Test in Multan. Skipper Kraigg Brathwaite was effusive in his praise for Warrican, man of the match and of the series for his 19 wickets.

“Jomel was outstanding,” said Brathwaite. “To see how he went about his bowling and the pressure he built from ball one, I mean, it was amazing. “With the bat, you can´t come to him more. I think he did a fantastic job with the bat as well. But bowling-wise, I know he´s worked hard over the years.”

Brathwaite said Warrican´s performance was as “amazing” as that of Shamar Joseph in Australia 12 months ago, when the newcomer fast bowler helped power the West Indians to a rare victory.

“This one is right up there, both amazing Test wins,” said Brathwaite. “To come here, playing here in Pakistan, it´s never easy to win a Test match so to have done that is fantastic.” The victory is West Indies´ first in Pakistan since winning the Faisalabad Test in November 1990.

Pakistan won the first Test by 127 runs, also in Multan. However, the second Test victory lifted West Indies to eighth in the World Test Championship, having started the series on ninth and last.

The defeat plunged Pakistan from eighth to last. Warrican scored a crucial 36 not out in the first innings, which lifted the West Indies from a precarious 9-95 to 163 all out. Pakistan skipper Shan Masood acknowledged that the runs made by the West Indian tail were the turning point.