Gabriel five-for sucker punches Pakistan

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-West Indies v Pakistan, 2nd Test, Bridgetown, 5th day

By Danyal Rasool
Shannon Gabriel’s hostile spell in the first session set up West Indies’ series-leveling win © AFP
West Indies 312 (Chase 131, Holder 58, Abbas 4-56, Amir 3-65) and 268 (Hope 90, Brathwaite 43, Yasir 7-94) beat Pakistan 393 (Azhar 105, Misbah 99, Shehzad 70, Gabriel 4-81) and 81 (Sarfraz 23, Gabriel 5-11) by 106 runs
Twenty years ago, a West Indies side, led by Brian Lara, set India 120 for victory at the Kensington Oval. They had never lost a Test in Bridgetown to a subcontinental side, but that record looked in serious threat against the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Mohammad Azharuddin, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman. West Indies took just 35.5 overs to skittle the visitors out for 81 to extend a glorious run at their stronghold.

Fast forward to 2017 and a completely different West Indies side, both in personnel and prestige, took on another subcontinental powerhouse, Pakistan, at the same venue. West Indies were dominated for most parts of four days, but a second-innings turnaround courtesy Shai Hope’s 90 that set a 188-run target helped script a remarkable turnaround. On the final day, Shannon Gabriel took five wickets in a hostile spell as a Pakistan line-up consisting of Azhar Ali, Misbah-ul-Haq, Younis Khan and Babar Azam, were skittled for that cursed score of 81. This Barbadian fortress might have creaked, but it certainly did not tumble as the hosts put in an inspired bowling performance to level the series 1-1 against all odds. (ESPNcricinfo)

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