TAROUBA, Trinidad — Returning Test captain Babar Azam marked his comeback to red-ball leadership with a brilliant, fluent century as Pakistan took complete command on the second day of their four-day warm-up match against the West Indies Select XI at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy.
Ahead of the highly anticipated two-match Test series against the West Indies, Pakistan’s top order put on an authoritative display, powering the visitors to a formidable 455/4 in 136.5 overs by the close of Sunday’s play.
Babar and Awais Lead the Charge
Resuming the day at an overnight score of 184/2, Pakistan dominated the proceedings thanks to dual centuries from their captain and young opening batter Azan Awais.
Azan Awais’ Gritty Ton: The young opener, who started the day unbeaten on 78, anchored the innings with extreme patience. Awais brought up his well-earned century off 241 deliveries, hitting nine boundaries and a six, before retiring out to allow other batters valuable time in the middle.
Babar’s Stately Century: Stepping back into the Test captaincy spotlight, Babar Azam looked in immaculate touch from the outset. Alongside youngster Abdullah Fazal, Babar systematically dismantled the Select XI bowling attack, reaching his half-century before converting it into a swift 100 off 151 balls. His masterclass featured 12 boundaries and a solitary six before he also retired out.
Mid-Order Contributions Keep Pushing the Total
Following the departure of the centurions, the rest of the Pakistani batting lineup continued to chip away at the host broadcasters’ bowling unit:
Abdullah Fazal registered a composed 50 off 97 balls (6 fours) before opting to retire out.
Salman Ali Agha played a brisk counter-attacking knock, missing out on a half-century after being dismissed by Ryan Bandoo for 46 off 60 deliveries, clearing the boundary twice.
Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan anchored the final session, remaining unbeaten on 44 off 103 balls alongside Aamer Jamal (22), comfortably steering the visitors beyond the 450-run mark.
The Big Picture: Earlier on Day 1, former captain Shan Masood had set the tone with a solid 70. With virtually all main batters getting runs under their belts and adapting perfectly to the Caribbean conditions, Pakistan looks in prime shape ahead of the upcoming official Test series.
