Pakistan off-spinner Sajid Khan once again demonstrated his value to the national team during the second Test match against the West Indies in Port of Spain on Tuesday. The 32-year-old played a crucial role with both ball and bat, helping Pakistan build on a slender first-innings lead and dismantle the West Indies batting lineup in their second innings.

Sajid took four wickets in the West Indies’ second innings, his second four-wicket haul of the match, breaking through the host’s batting line-up to restrict them to 103 for 6 late on day three. The key dismissals included prominent batsmen Shai Hope, trapped LBW for 15, and Jayden Seales, dismissed in the same manner without scoring. His bowling effort put the West Indies 60 runs ahead going into the fourth day, placing Pakistan in a strong position.

Earlier, Sajid contributed valuable runs with the bat, scoring 30 while stabilizing the lower order. He shared a 59-run partnership with Abdullah Shafique, who remained unbeaten on 160, helping Pakistan surpass the West Indies’ first innings total of 344 to finish with a 43-run lead.

Since his Test debut in April 2021 against Zimbabwe, Sajid has steadily enhanced his bowling repertoire. Known for a complex bowling action and the ability to vary pace and trajectory subtly, he attributes his success to his "sleight of hand" and quick front-arm movement, making his deliveries challenging for batsmen to decipher. His style, which draws comparisons to his idol Saqlain Mushtaq, allows him to exploit pitch conditions by adjusting his line and angle as needed.

Born in the Mardan district of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Sajid’s rise to prominence was not without struggles. After facing difficulties securing a consistent spot in lower-grade domestic teams, he moved to Dubai, where he balanced a job at Dubai International Airport with playing cricket on weekends. His persistence paid off upon returning to Pakistan, where he debuted in first-class cricket for Peshawar during the 2016-17 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.

Sajid’s breakthrough came during the 2020-21 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, where he was the leading wicket-taker with 67 wickets across 11 matches and earned the Best Bowler award. His domestic performances earned him a place in Pakistan’s Test squads for series against South Africa and Zimbabwe in early 2021, culminating in his international debut.

Since then, Sajid has played 15 Test matches, taking 69 wickets, including multiple four- and five-wicket hauls, as well as two ten-wicket matches. His ability to exploit favorable conditions and provide crucial breakthroughs has established him as a key component of Pakistan’s spin attack. Tuesday’s performance affirmed his continued importance to the team’s Test ambitions, especially in conditions that assist spin bowling.