Babar Azam Falls for 88, Misses Test Century After 4 Years; Pakistan Make Strong Comeback vs West Indies

Babar Azam was dismissed for 88 on Tuesday, ending his hopes of scoring his first Test century since 2022. His last Test hundred came against New Zealand in Karachi, where he produced a brilliant 161-run innings while leading Pakistan.

The dismissal was particularly significant as Babar had recently returned to the Pakistan Test captaincy. After stepping down from captaincy in 2023 amid a difficult run of form, Babar was reappointed as Pakistan's Test captain on July 5, 2026.

Pakistan Close in on West Indies' First-Innings Total

Pakistan reached 333/6 at lunch, with the team trailing the West Indies by only 11 runs in the first innings.

Babar and Abdullah Shafique played a crucial role in Pakistan's recovery, putting together an impressive 183-run partnership from 327 balls for the third wicket.

Although Babar missed his century, his innings provided Pakistan with valuable stability as the visitors attempted to take control of the Test.

Abdullah Shafique Ends Two-Year Wait for Test Century

Abdullah Shafique was another major highlight of Pakistan's innings. The opener completed the sixth Test century of his career, ending a wait of nearly two years for a hundred in the format.

Shafique had remained on 99 for some time before finally reaching three figures with a four through the mid-wicket region off Jomel Warrican.

Earlier, he brought up his half-century with a boundary against Kemar Roach and continued to anchor Pakistan's innings alongside Babar.

Azan Awais Provides Aggressive Start

Young batter Azan Awais gave Pakistan an attacking start at the top of the order. He struck three consecutive boundaries against Kemar Roach in the second over, forcing the West Indies to introduce spin earlier than expected.

However, Pakistan suffered setbacks as Imam-ul-Haq was caught in the slips off Shamar Joseph, whose delivery reportedly reached around 150 km/h.

Awais went on to complete his half-century but was eventually dismissed LBW by Jomel Warrican.

West Indies Bowled Out for 344

Earlier, the West Indies were bowled out for 344 runs in their first innings.

Justin Greaves and Roston Chase contributed important half-centuries to the West Indies' total. Pakistan's bowlers then wrapped up the innings, with Ali Usman, Ubaid Shah and Sajid Khan among those making crucial breakthroughs.

Ali Usman dismissed Greaves with the opening delivery, while Ubaid Shah accounted for Chase. Sajid Khan completed the innings by removing Shamar Joseph.

Babar Azam's Century Wait Continues

Babar Azam's dismissal for 88 means his wait for a Test century continues. His last Test hundred came in Karachi against New Zealand in 2022, when he scored 161.

Despite missing out on the milestone, Babar's partnership with Shafique helped Pakistan move within touching distance of the West Indies' first-innings score.

With Pakistan at 333/6, just 11 runs behind, the second Test remains finely poised as the team looks to secure a strong position in the match.