Misbah hails exciting day-night Test against WI

KARACHI: Misbah-ul-Haq and his Pakistan team survived some anxious moments to win their opening Test against the West Indies in the final hour on Monday night in Dubai.

It was a match that Pakistan expected to win comfortably after posting a mammoth 579-3 in the first innings. But a career-best 8-49 from leggie Devendra Bishoo and a 410-minute 116 by Darren Bravo brought the tourists within striking distance of recording what would have been an upset win.

Misbah-ul-Haq, the Pakistan captain hailed the West Indian fightback and stressed that the exciting day-night match was good for the Test format.

“It was a good Test and good for the Test cricket with everything in it,” said Misbah told reporters in Dubai after sealing a 56-run triumph. “You need Test matches like that and credit to West Indies to put such a fight.”

Misbah was all praise for Bravo for giving Pakistan a scare.

“West Indies batsmen showed good resilience and credit must be given to them,” he said.

Misbah admitted he was nervous and worried, with just 100 needed and Bravo at the crease.

“I know how I spent time on the fourth day and in the last session on the last day. It was tough for the team as well as for the captain.

“You were ahead of them for three days but in one session he (Bravo) gave the advantage to them,” said Misbah of the laft-hander who was smartly caught by leg-spinner Yasir Shah with just 83 needed.

Shah finished with seven wickets in the match and during first innings became the joint-second fastest to take 100 Test wickets.

Misbah said dew did not allow the Dubai stadium pitch to deteriorate.

“There were different factors which supported the batsmen, the pink ball and dew. Usually Dubai pitch deteriorates after second day but this time the pitch was bind again because of the dew but in the end it ended in our win,” said Misbah, who now has 23 wins in 47 Tests as captain.

“It is special victory, our 400th Test, first with pink ball, our first day-night match so it was important to get a victory here.”

The pattern of the game, which was only the second day-night Test, was in contrast to the first such fixture in Adelaide, where Australia beat New Zealand inside three days in a match dominated by bowlers. In contrast, Pakistan made 579 and 123 in Dubai, while West Indies made 357 and 289.

“A bit of dew in the evening session was affecting the ball. With the sogginess, the ball was getting softer so different factors contributed and helped the batsmen score runs,” Misbah said. “Spinners and fast bowlers will get more help and reverse swing will also be there in the dry weather. But in the evening the pink ball was getting wet and the seam was swelling and it got softer.

“The pitch was on the slower side, I don’t know why, but otherwise the Dubai pitch normally starts deteriorating after two days. But since the dew was helping the pitch bind again and it wasn’t breaking up at the same rate it used to.”

West Indies began the final day needing 251 runs with eight wickets in hand. They lost Marlon Samuels off the first ball but Bravo held the chase together. Misbah said he had nervous moments until Bravo was eventually dismissed for 116 in the final session, and rued his team’s fourth-day collapse for 123 that had let West Indies into the game.

“It was tough for the team and for the captain,” Misbah said. “Certainly you were ahead of them for almost three and a half days but in one session you had given the advantage to the opposition. Maybe had we batted for another 15 overs, with 400 runs on board we could have got them out early.”