On This Day-14th May 2017- Shannon Gabriel's Brain Fade Gave Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq a Perfect Test Farewell

(Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq Retired from Test Cricket on 14th May 2017)

Serving Pakistan in the Test Format and retiring with a win against one of the best Test Teams is a dream for many players and the ones who made it true are Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq who clinched the Test Series against West Indies in the last session and in the second last over of the game which was due to the brain-fade moment of Shannon Gabriel. Pakistan team won the series 2-1 and gave a grand farewell to their Test Cricket Legends as they retired with grace and let’s discover what happened on 14th May 2017 at Windsor Park, Roseau, Dominica.

Pakistan vs West Indies: 3rd Test from May 10 2017 to May 14 2017

In the ongoing series between Pakistan and West Indies, both teams were tied at 1-1, and the last Test match was going to be the decider. Played at Windsor Park, Roseau, Dominica, from May 10 to 14, 2017, this third Test was a thrilling contest that ended with Pakistan clinching a 101-run victory, securing a 2-1 series win as the match was a fitting farewell for Pakistan’s retiring legends, Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq.

Pakistan’s First Innings:

After batting first after West Indies opted to field, Pakistan aimed to post a big total on a pitch with some help from bowlers. Openers Azhar Ali and Shan Masood started cautiously, but Masood was dismissed for 9 by Roston Chase in the 13th over, caught by Jason Holder, leaving Pakistan at 19/1. Azhar, playing a marathon knock, partnered with Babar Azam, who scored a composed 55 off 124 balls with three fours. Their 120-run stand took Pakistan to 139/2 by the 54th over, but Alzarri Joseph struck, dismissing Babar, caught by Kieran Powell. Younis Khan, in his final Test, made 18 before Holder trapped him lbw in the 78th over, making it 177/3.

Azhar’s resilient 127 off 334 balls, with eight fours and two sixes, held the innings together, but Chase bowled him in the 107th over. Misbah-ul-Haq, also in his last Test, scored a patient 59 off 148 balls, including six fours and a six, before Chase got him caught by Shane Dowrich in the 127th over. Asad Shafiq’s 17 ended when Chase had him caught by Vishaul Singh, leaving Pakistan at 274/5. Sarfaraz Ahmed’s brisk 51 off 73 balls, with four fours, boosted the total, but Devendra Bishoo dismissed him in the 145th over, caught by Shai Hope.

(Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan retired from international cricket as Pakistan secured their first-ever Test series win in the Caribbean)

The tail faltered, with Mohammad Amir (7) and Yasir Shah (0) falling to Holder, and Mohammad Abbas scoring 4 before Bishoo stumped him. Hasan Ali’s 8 not out pushed Pakistan to 376 in 146.3 overs. Chase led the bowling with 4/103, supported by Holder (3/71) and Bishoo (2/61). Extras, including 21 from byes, leg byes, and no-balls, added to the score.

West Indies First Innings

Openers Kraigg Brathwaite and Kieran Powell added 43, but Yasir Shah dismissed Powell for 31, caught by Azhar Ali, in the 27th over. Shimron Hetmyer’s quick 17, with a six, ended when Yasir had him caught by Sarfaraz Ahmed in the 31st over. Brathwaite’s patient 29 off 123 balls was ended by Yasir in the 43rd over, leaving West Indies at 97/3. Shai Hope’s 29 and Roston Chase steadied things, but Azhar Ali dismissed Hope, caught by Misbah, in the 72nd over.

Chase, the standout, scored 69 off 155 balls with five fours but retired hurt temporarily. Vishaul Singh’s 8 was ended lbw by Mohammad Abbas, and Shane Dowrich’s 20 fell to Mohammad Amir in the 101st over. Chase returned but was bowled by Abbas in the 111th over, followed by Bishoo (0) and Alzarri Joseph (0).

(After 10,099 Test runs, 7,249 ODI runs and 442 T20I runs, Younis Khan bowed out from international cricket)

Jason Holder’s unbeaten 30 off 87 balls, with three fours and a six, couldn’t prevent West Indies from being bowled out for 247 in 115 overs, trailing by 129 as Abbas starred with 5/46, supported by Yasir’s 3/126 and Amir’s 1/32 while extras added 14 runs and West Indies showed fight but fell short of Pakistan’s total.

Pakistan’s Second Innings

Pakistan’s second innings aimed to set a challenging target quickly as Openers Azhar Ali and Shan Masood struggled early, with Azhar falling for 3, caught by substitute Jermaine Blackwood off Shannon Gabriel in the third over and Babar Azam’s duck followed, dismissed by Roston Chase in the seventh over, leaving Pakistan at 8/2. Masood’s 21 off 68 balls ended lbw to Gabriel in the 23rd over.

Misbah-ul-Haq, in his final innings, scored 2 before Bishoo had him caught by Dowrich. Younis Khan’s gritty 35 off 73 balls, with three fours, ended when Bishoo dismissed him, caught by Powell, in the 31st over, making it 72/5. Asad Shafiq’s 13 and Sarfaraz Ahmed’s 4 were dismissed by Alzarri Joseph, leaving Pakistan at 90/7. Mohammad Amir’s 27 off 69 balls, with three fours, and Yasir Shah’s unbeaten 38 off 55 balls, including two fours and a six, revived the innings.

(One of the greatest days for Pakistan Cricket as Pakistan secured their first-ever series win in the Caribbean. Yasir Shah took the final wicket with the last ball of the penultimate over of the game)

Hasan Ali’s quick 15 not out off 6 balls, with a four and a six, prompted a declaration at 174/8 in 57 overs, setting West Indies a target of 304. Joseph led the bowling with 3/53, supported by Gabriel (2/24) and Bishoo (2/54). Extras, including 16 from leg byes and wides, helped the total. Pakistan’s innings overcame early setbacks to set a daunting chase.

West Indies’ Second Innings

Chasing 304 to win or survive for a draw, West Indies needed a strong start, but Pakistan’s bowlers struck early. Openers Kieran Powell and Kraigg Brathwaite began cautiously, but Powell fell for 4 in the seventh over, caught by Shan Masood off Yasir Shah’s spin. Brathwaite, struggling for fluency, scored 6 off 34 balls before Yasir dismissed him in the 11th over, caught by Hasan Ali, leaving West Indies at 22/2. Shimron Hetmyer injected some aggression, scoring 25 off 36 balls with three fours, but Mohammad Amir bowled him in the 18th over, reducing West Indies to 47/3.

Shai Hope, looking to anchor, managed 17 off 54 balls with two fours but was trapped lbw by Hasan Ali in the 30th over, making it 66/4. Roston Chase came in with West Indies in trouble as Vishaul Singh’s brief stay got just 2 runs before Yasir dismissed him in the 35th over, caught by Babar Azam, leaving West Indies at 76/5. Shane Dowrich, the wicketkeeper, struggled for 2 off 25 balls before Yasir struck again in the 43rd over, with Babar taking another catch.

(On this day in 2017, Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq bid farewell to international cricket)

At 93/6, West Indies’ hopes of victory were fading, and survival seemed tough. Chase, however, remained resolute, finding a partner in captain Jason Holder. Together, they stitched a crucial 58-run partnership for the seventh wicket. Holder scored a steady 22 off 62 balls with two fours, but Hasan Ali trapped him lbw in the 62nd over, leaving West Indies at 151/7. Chase, undeterred, kept fighting, reaching his fifty off 102 balls with five fours and a six. Devendra Bishoo offered support, scoring 3 off 45 balls, but Mohammad Abbas dismissed him in the 77th over, caught by Masood, making it 181/8.

West Indies vs Pakistan, 3rd Test at Roseau, May 10-14, 2017
Pakistan	West Indies
376 (146.3 overs)	247 (115 overs)
Azhar Ali 127 (334)	Roston Chase 69 (155)
Roston Chase 4/103 (32 overs)	Mohammad Abbas 5/46 (25 overs)
174/8d (57 overs)	202 (96 overs)
Yasir Shah 38* (55)	Roston Chase 101(239)
Alzarri Joseph 3/53 (15 overs)	Yasir Shah 5/92 (37 overs)
Pakistan won by 101 runs

With the new ball taken at 80.1 overs, Pakistan intensified their attack as Alzarri Joseph hung on for 5 off 32 balls, but Hasan Ali had him caught by Sarfaraz Ahmed in the 89th over, leaving West Indies at 197/9 and Chase, now on 92, was running out of partners but reached a magnificent 101 not out off 239 balls, with 12 fours and a six. With Shannon Gabriel at the other end, Chase farmed the strike to protect his partner as they looked for a draw. West Indies reached 202/9, needing to survive the final overs as Yasir Shah, with 24 wickets in the series, bowled the tense 96th over.

Final Over of the Game

Gabriel defended the first five balls and it finally looked like the match was going to be drawn. On the final ball, Yasir delivered a googly outside leg. Gabriel, perhaps reading it, attempted a risky lofted shot to clear the close-in fielders but misjudged it, inside-edging the ball onto his stumps. The stadium erupted as Pakistan celebrated, with West Indies all out for 202, falling 101 runs short. Yasir’s 5/92, supported by Hasan’s 3/33 and Abbas’ 1/31, sealed the victory.

Extras, including 11 from byes and no-balls, were added to the total. Chase’s century was the highlight, earning him Player of the Match, but Pakistan’s relentless bowling ensured a memorable series win. Pakistan’s players carried both the Legends as Misbah-ul-Haq was wrapping a flag around his shoulders, celebrating a 101-run win and a triumphant farewell with his family.