When someone recovers from dengue fever, they are expected to struggle with their fitness, get tired quickly and is not up to normal strength. Pakistan batsman Younis Khan will tell you that is all folly, as he showed up post dengue to slam 127 runs against the West Indies, in the searing heat of the Arabian Desert to give his team the upper hand on the opening day of the second Haier Cup Test match at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi yesterday.
Khan slammed his 33rd Test century and Misbah ul Haq was unbeaten on 90, as both thrived on dropped chances to take their team to 304/4. A half century from Asad Shafiq also added to the West Indies woes as their struggle continued here on this tour.
Shannon Gabriel finished with 2/43 but none of the other bowlers, nor the West Indies outfielding supported his efforts.
Earlier, Misbah who was captaining Pakistan for a record 48th time in Tests (Imran Khan also did it on 48 occasions), won the toss and predictably took first strike. Favouring not batting last on this pitch and with the average first innings score here on this piece of mud being 394, Misbah was smiling from ear to ear. However, that would have soon turned to sadness, as his triple centurion in the first Test, Azhar Ali was bowled by Gabriel with only six runs on the board. The right hander got one that cut back into him, taking an inside edge and crashing into his sticks for a 'duck'.
Within the first hour skipper Jason Holder went to leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo who struck almost immediately bowling Sami Aslam with a big leg-spinner for six.
Younis was next in and he looked like he never left. Within minutes the runs began to flow. Shafiq who was timing the ball beautifully from ball one, continued his good work and reached his half century off 68 balls with six fours.
When lunch was taken, the score read 95 for two, with Shafiq on 54 and Khan 29. The session was two and a half hours long to facilitate Friday prayer Jumma Salah. They were then given an hour long break to allow the Muslim players to pray and then have lunch.
On the resumption Younis lost Shafiq who was bowled off an inside edge by Gabriel, playing away from his body. He faced 121 balls and struck seven fours. Misbah joined in and gave the crowd on hand which numbered about 1,000 lots to cheer about. He looked in supreme form and with Misbah batting so beautifully at the other end, the West Indies looked incapable of getting the breakthrough.
A chance came with Khan on 84 but Kraigg Brathwaite was unable to hang on to a caught and bowl chance. Misbah brought up his half century of 93 balls with two fours and two sixes and soon after he was dropped by stand in wicketkeeper Shai Hope of the unlucky Gabriel.
The burly pacer got one to square up Misbah on 54, which found the outside edge but the Barbadian failed to hold on to the one handed effort. Hope replaced fellow Barbadian Shane Dowrich who broke down before the start of play with a ligament strain on his right shoulder.
After the let off both men continued to plunder runs and targeted leg-spinner Bishoo who claimed a Test best 8/49 in the last game. Time and time again they employed the slug-sweep against him and this killed his effectiveness, as he had to adjust to a more defensive approach.
Khan, who has the most Test centuries by a Pakistan batsman, brought up his 33rd off 169 balls with eight fours and a six. The Pakistan 300 was also raised and the two looked inseparable. However, just before the end of play which was called six overs early due to fading light, Khan fell playing a slug sweep against part-time off-spinner Brathwaite. He faced 205 balls and struck ten fours and one six.