Twitter Reactions: Kraigg Brathwaite carries his bat as West Indies take first innings lead

He walked out to bat on the morning of the third day unbeaten on 95 and was just five short of a well deserved Test century. Kraigg Brathwaite raced closer with a boundary on the first ball of the day off a Mohammad Amir delivery. And on the penultimate delivery of the same over he collected a couple to complete hundred runs in the innings. But he wasn’t done yet and kept going rather strongly after the triple figures.

To start with, he had skipper Jason Holder as partner. Holder also played a few shots but paid for shoulder arming an Amir delivery that was angled into the stumps. Brathwaite now had the tail for company but he was determined to make it count. He stayed calm, continued his patient approach, picked gaps beautifully and got as many runs as he could with the least amount of risk involved.

Brathwaite displayed a lot of discipline, grit and willingness to ensure his team earned a first innings lead and got ahead of Pakistan’s total of 281. It paid off as they eventually did overhaul the score and though he was running out of partners he took the team total to 337 before the last man standing Shannon Gabriel was removed by Wahab Riaz. The opener remained unconquered in the inning and carried his bat in the inning unbeaten on 142 for which he faced 318 deliveries and scored those runs with a contribution of just 11 boundaries.

For Pakistan Wahab was the pick of the bowlers as he registered the second five-wicket haul of his Test career. His partner Amir got 3 while Yasir Shah and Zulfiqar Babar shared a wicket each. In their response the Pakistani openers also got off to a good start but just when it looked like they will clear off the deficit without any damage Holder had Sami Aslam caught by Joseph and the opening stand of 37 runs was broken.

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The skipper then struck twice in quick succession to send back Asad Shafiq and Younis Khan back to the pavilion for dual ducks while Roston Chase dismissed skipper Misbah-ul-Haq for 4. At stumps Pakistan have 87 runs on the board for the loss of 4 wickets with a lead of 31 runs.

Here is how Twitter reacted during the 3rd day’s play:

First time in 14 Tests that West Indies have taken a lead (when batting second). #PakvWI

— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) November 1, 2016

Asad Shafiq is first Pakistan frontline batsman (bat position 1-7) to bag a pair twice in his Test career. #PakvWI

— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) November 1, 2016

Asad Shafiq – 8th Pakistani to bag a pair (0&0) in a Test match – more than once! The previous seven were all bowlers!#PakvWI

— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) November 1, 2016

2nd 5 wicket haul of his Test career for Wahab Riaz. His first was on Test debut against England in 2010 #Cricket #PakvWI

— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) November 1, 2016

When @iam_younis and @captainmisbahpk dont score then Pakistani team becomes piece of shit!!! RIP green shirts.#PAKvWI

— Fahad Khan (@fahadtirati) November 1, 2016

Jason Holder 9-4-10-3

Pakistan 87-4 at Stumps leading by only 31 runs.#PAKvWI pic.twitter.com/9n0kwYZz96

— Extraa Innings (@TheYorkerBall) November 1, 2016

Magnificent day of cricket for @westindies – Sharjah has provided the best cricket on this tour #PakvWI

— Hemant (@hemantbuch) November 1, 2016

It's game on in the #PakvWI 3rd Test, as Pakistan finish Day 3 87/4, a lead of just 31: https://t.co/qR65icDSJJ pic.twitter.com/MwJPtEwWSm

— ICC (@ICC) November 1, 2016

Misbah o Misbah oh Misbah ohhh Misbah ohhhhh Misbah.
Aap to aise naaa the #PAKvWI

— Nabeel Hashmi (@HashmeNabeel) November 1, 2016

Bowling avg of Holder in 2016 prior to this series: 254

This series until this innings: 45.75

Today, 3 wickets for 8 runs#PAKvWI

— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) November 1, 2016

Second pair (duck in each innings) for Asad Shafiq in last five Tests. #PakvWI

— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) November 1, 2016

Brathwaite becomes 51st to carry his bat in a Test innings.
7th West Indian.
9th against Pakistan.
1st with a name starting in K.#PAKvWI

— Abhishek Mukherjee (@ovshake42) November 1, 2016

Test century number 5 for Kraigg Brathwaite! Only Chris Gayle has more as an opener for West Indies this century! #PakvWI pic.twitter.com/q41Y7Apw9m

— ICC (@ICC) November 1, 2016

Asad Shafiq is first Pakistan frontline batsman (bat position 1-7) to bag a pair twice in his Test career. #PakvWI

— Ragul Kumar (@cricket_devotee) November 1, 2016

This abrupt &ungainly batting style of Pak batsmen against bouncers on a dead Sharjah pitch should alarm the coaches as well as the batsmen

— Ramiz Raja (@iramizraja) November 1, 2016

Most ducks in international cricket (Min 10000 runs)
Sanath Jayasuriya: 53
Mahela Jayawardena: 47
Afridi: 44
Younis Khan: 41*
Gayle:40

— Jasveer Singh Kharra (@imjsk27) November 1, 2016

https://twitter.com/Peshawar__Zalmi/status/793438572653281280

Shabbir Ahmed (in 2005) & now Asad Shafiq (in 2016) – the only Pakistanis to bag a pair (0&0) twice in the same year!@PTV_Cricket #PakvWI

— Royal Challangers (@RCB_Tweets) November 1, 2016