Close Pakistan 344 for 3 (Younis Khan 131*, Afridi 107)
scorecard

One wicket in each session was hardly the kind of reward Carl Hooper would have expected after he won the toss and chose to bowl, but a combination of bad luck, umpiring errors and abysmal catching ensured that Pakistan ended the first day in complete command. Shahid Afridi rode his luck and entertained the sparse crowd en route to a chancy century, and his 190-run second-wicket partnership with Younis Khan shut West Indies out of the day's play. Even after Afridi's dismissal, Younis Khan, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Yousuf Youhana maintained the momentum of Pakistan's innings.

The West Indian seamers toiled manfully, with Mervyn Dillon (17-5-36-1) especially impressive throughout the day. Pedro Collins was all fire in his first spell, but fell away later, while the spinners – Dinanath Ramnarine in particular – had a day they'd rather forget.

West Indies started on the right foot. Dillon struck in the seventh over, when Daren Ganga at short leg pouched a smart catch to dismiss Taufeeq Umar for 8 (12 for 1).

The script went horribly wrong for them after that as they dropped Afridi four times. Firstly by Ryan Hinds at third slip when Afridi had made 4, then by Ramnarine at gully, shortly before lunch by Hooper at second slip and just after by substitute Corey Collymore at mid-off. Afridi also enjoyed reprieves from umpire Shakeel Khan. A confident lbw appeal was turned down in Collins's first over, and a caught-behind appeal declined in the over after lunch.

On a slow wicket which offered the bowlers no assistance, Afridi cut loose, but took a special liking to Ramnarine, hammering 44 off 26 of his deliveries. The last over before lunch produced 16 runs, including two sixes, and when Ramnarine came back on after the break, Afridi deposited him over midwicket for another six. The entertainment finally came to an end when Afridi was bowled attempting to pull a length ball from Cameron Cuffy (202 for 2). Afridi's 107 – made from just 149 balls – contained 16 fours and three sixes.

Younis Khan, by contrast, played a measured knock. Circumspect early on, he opened out shortly after completing his 50, twice pulling Collins to the midwicket fence and hoicking Ramnarine over his head for a majestic six. He completed his century soon after tea, and showed no signs of throwing it away.

Inzamam looked in good nick too, lofting Ramnarine for a straight six, and following it with a pull to the square-leg fence. It took an inspirational piece of fielding from Hooper to get rid of him. Ramnarine sent down another long-hop, Inzamam leant back and pulled it, but Hooper flew to his right at short midwicket and brought off a spectacular catch (272 for 3).

The improvement in the fielding was brief. The next ball - the first to new batsman Youhana – was a perfect legbreak, which kissed the edge of his bat and went through wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs for four. Riding on that piece of good fortune, Youhana raced along to 47 with some pleasing cover-drives and lofted on-drives against a beleaguered attack. By the close the pair had added an unbeaten 71 for the fourth wicket, and the West Indies' bowlers gave no sign that they have the ability to prevent more of the same tomorrow.

Teams
Pakistan 1 Taufeeq Umar, 2 Shahid Afridi, 3 Younis Khan, 4 Inzamam-ul Haq, 5 Yousuf Youhana, 6 Abdur Razzaq, 7 Rashid Latif (wk), 8 Waqar Younis (capt), 9 Saqlain Mushtaq, 10 Shoaib Akhtar, 11 Danish Kaneria.

West Indies 1 Daren Ganga, 2 Chris Gayle, 3 Wavell Hinds, 4 Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 5 Carl Hooper (capt), 6 Ryan Hinds, 7 Ridley Jacobs (wk), 8 Dinanath Ramnarine, 9 Mervyn Dillon, 10 Cameron Cuffy, 11 Pedro Collins.

S Rajesh is sub editor of Wisden.com India.

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