ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates – Younis Khan, the veteran Pakistan batsman, proved his recent bout of dengue fever was no hindrance, as he hit a classy century against West Indies on the opening day of the second Test at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium.The 38-year-old showed no signs of lethargy or sluggishness as he crafted his 33rd Test century – 127 quality runs as the home side ended the day on 304 for four.
The other senior statesman in the team – Misbah ul-Haq closed the day unbeaten on 90, as Pakistan thrived on two dropped chances by the West Indies.
A half-century from Asad Shafiq also added to the punishment as the West Indies continued their struggle for success in this series. Shannon Gabriel bowled his heart out to finish with two for 43.
Earlier, Misbah who was captaining Pakistan for a record 48th time in Tests – to equal Imran Khan’s record – won the toss and predictably took first strike.
Preferring not to bat 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 soon turned to sadness, as his triple centurion in the first Test in Dubai, 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 decided to play his trump card and went to leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo. He struck almost immediately bowling Sami Aslam with a big leg-spinner for six.
Younis returning from a bout of dengue fever was next in and he looked like he never left. Within minutes his bat started to broaden and the runs began to flow. Shafiq, who was timing the ball beautifully from ball one, continued his good work and reached his half-century of 68 balls with six fours.
When lunch was taken, the score on the dusty scoreboard out in the middle of the desert read 95 for two, with Shafiq on 54 and Khan 29. The session was two and a half hours long to facilitate Friday pray Jumma Salah. They were then given an hour-long break to allow the Muslim players to pray and then have lunch.
After the resumption, Younis continued to look good but soon lost Shafiq, who was bowled of 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 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-bowled chance. Misbah brought up his half-century off 93 balls with two fours and two sixes and soon after he was dropped by stand-in wicketkeeper Shai Hope off the unlucky Gabriel.
The burly pacer got one to square up to 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 eight for 49 in the last game, bowling them out for just 123.
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 brought up his century 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, again playing the slug sweep, but this time against part-time off-spinner Brathwaite. His final stats read 127 runs, 205 balls, 10 fours and one six.

PAKISTAN 1st innings
Sami Aslam b Bishoo 6
Azhar Ali b Gabriel 0
Asad Shafiq b Gabriel 68
Younis Khan c Chase b Brathwaite 127
Misbah-ul-Haq not out 90
Extras: (lb-6, nb-7) 13
Total: (4 wkts, 84 overs) 304
Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-42, 3-129, 4-304.
Bowling: Gabriel 14-1-43-2 (nb-7), Cummins 15-1-43-0, Holder 14-4-31-0, Bishoo 20-0-92-1, Chase 12-0-53-0, Brathwaite 9-0-36-1.