MULTAN, Pakistan (AFP) — Skipper Shan Masood defended Pakistan’s formula of using spin-friendly pitches to win home Test matches after a 127-run victory over the West Indies in Multan on Sunday.

Pakistan completed the win before tea on the third day as spinners Sajid Khan grabbed 5-50 and Abrar Ahmed finished with 4-27 to dismiss the West Indies for 123 after setting a 251-run target.

The Test lasted fewer than eight sessions on a dry and grassless Multan Stadium pitch, with spinners taking 34 of the 40 wickets to fall.

Sajid finished with nine wickets, fellow spinner Noman Ali six, and the West Indian left-armer Jomel Warrican took a maiden 10-wicket haul.

Pakistan bowled just one over of pace in the match.

“If we want to be a top side in the World Test Championship then we have to sacrifice some things, like we did with the fast bowling in this Test,” Masood said.

Pakistan made drastic changes after going winless in 11 home Tests since 2021, using industrial fans and patio heaters to dry the Multan pitch against England last year.

Sajid and Noman took 39 of the 40 wickets to give Pakistan a come-from-behind 2-1 series win against England, repeating the same ploy against the West Indies.

Masood’s captain counterpart Kraigg Brathwaite had no issue with it.

They will play the second Test from January 25 at the same venue.

“They’re at home so they got their decision how they want the pitch to behave,” said Brathwaite.

“It was a difficult pitch to bat on for sure.

“We expect the same type of pitch in the second Test, so we got to come better with bravery and belief.”

Pakistan made drastic changes after going winless in 11 home Tests since 2021, using industrial fans and patio heaters to dry the Multan pitch against England last year.

SCOREBOARD

Pakistan 1st innings 230

West Indies 1st innings 137

Pakistan 2nd innings (overnight 109-3)

*Shan Masood run out 52

Muhammad Hurraira lbw b Warrican 29

Babar Azam lbw b Warrican 5

Kamran Ghulam c+Imlach b Warrican 27

Saud Shakeel c Greaves b Warrican 2

+Mohammad Rizwan c Hodge b Warrican 2

Salman Agha c Louis b Motie 14

Noman Ali lbw b Warrican 9

Sajid Khan c Brathwaite b Warrican 5

Khurram Shahzad run out 0

Abrar Ahmed not out 0

Extras (b11, nb1) 12

Total (all out; 46.4 overs) 157

Fall of wickets: 1-67, 2-89, 3-106, 4-109, 5-113, 6-132, 7-142, 8-150,

9-154, 10-157.

Bowling: Motie 11.4-0-48-1, Seales 10-0-37-0, Sinclair 5-1-16-0,

Warrican 18-3-32-7, Hodge 2-0-13-0.

West Indies 2nd innings

*Kraigg Brathwaite c Shahzad b Khan 12

Mikyle Louis b Khan 13

Keacy Carty c Rizwan b Khan 6

Kavem Hodge b Khan 0

Alick Athanaze lbw b Khan 55

Justin Greaves lbw b Ali 9

+Tevin Imlach c Rizwan b Ahmed 14

Kevin Sinclair c Salman b Ahmed 10

Gudakesh Motie c Salman b Ahmed 0

Jomel Warrican b Ahmed 0

Jayden Seales not out 0

Extras (lb3, b1) 4

Total (all out; 36.3 overs) 123

Fall of wickets: 1-16, 2-26, 3-32, 4-37, 5-54, 6-95, 7-123, 8-123,

9-123, 10-123.

Bowling: Khan 15-3-50-5, Ahmed 11.3-2-27-4, Ali 10-1-42-1.

Result: Pakistan won by 127 runs to lead the two-match series 1-0.

Player-of-the-Match: Sajid Khan.

Umpires: Richard Kettleborough, Rod Tucker.

TV Umpire: Paul Reiffel.

Reserve Umpire: Faisal Afridi.

Match Referee: Ranjan Madugalle.

Pakistan bowler Sajid Khan (centre) celebrates with teammates Mohammad Rizwan (left) and Babar Azam after taking a five-wicket haul in the second innings of the first Test victory over West Indies at Multan Cricket Stadium on Sunday. Photos: AFP