DUBAI // After nine wickets fell in the first three days combined, Devendra Bishoo took eight all by himself as the first Test got stuck in fast forward on Day 4.
The Guyanese leg spinner’s haul sparked the sort of collapse that Pakistan have generally consigned to the past during Misbah-ul-Haq’s reign as captain.
They crumbled from 77 for two to 123 all out, leaving West Indies a target of 346 to win at the Dubai International Stadium.
The fact the Caribbean side made it to 95 for two by the close meant a side who have gone 11 matches without a win in Tests — with eight of those being lost — now have an unexpected scent of victory.
More from Pakistan v West Indies:
• Day 3: Bravo leads West Indies fight, but advantage Pakistan
• Day 2: Azhar wins back Pakistan fans with triple century
• Day 1: Lukewarm debut for day/night, but plenty of Pakistan runs
In all the glorious history of West Indies cricket, Bishoo’s eight for 49 was the fifth best bowling figures. They were the best of anyone in a Test in the UAE, the best by a West Indian outside the Caribbean. And, clearly, the best in a day-night Test using a pink ball.
It feels churlish to report it, especially as cheer has been so hard to come by for West Indies players on this tour, but Pakistan’s batsmen basically donated the records to him.
Having started the innings with a 222-run lead, it was clear they had a plan to push the score on to try set up a target. But they seemed to forget the need to put the work in setting themselves first.
Six of Bishoo’s haul of eight were down to batsman error. Babar Azam casually dragged on to his stumps. Sami Aslam provided catching practice for first slip. Misbah played on when aiming a heave into the stands. Mohammed Nawaz left a straight one. Wahab Riaz holed out to a boundary fielder, and Sarfraz Ahmed was stumped.
Perhaps Bishoo’s finest achievement of all was simply being the foremost leg spinner of the day. He certainly stole Yasir Shah’s limelight, just when the Pakistan champion was getting ready to celebrate another banner day of his own.
When Yasir bowled Miguel Cummins, to take his fifth wicket of West Indies’s first innings, it took him to precisely 100 in Tests. In terms of matches played (17), he is the second fastest to that tally, after George Lohmann, who performed his feats in the 19th century.
Accepted wisdom says the first three days of Tests in the UAE can be tough going, before the match speeds up when the wicket wears on Days 4 and 5.
This match has born out that theory to an extreme. The first three days had an aggregate of 994 runs for nine wickets. The fourth saw 16 wickets fall for the concession of 280 in 78 overs.
Hauling in the remaining 251 required to win on the last day is a tough assignment for the West Indies. But, thanks to Bishoo, at least they have a shot.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
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- Keep an open mind
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