Pakistan in trouble at 76-4 as West Indies spinners frustrate pursuit of tricky target in 2nd test

Meanwhile, premier batter Babar Azam's (31) lean run of form at home of well over two years continued when off-spinner Kevin Sinclair (2-41) had him caught close to the wicket late on Day 2

West Indies stayed in the hunt for its first test win in Pakistan in 35 years after its batters came good on a turning wicket to set up a tricky target of 254 runs in the second test on Sunday. Pakistan's top-order stuttered for the second successive time on its own engineered spin wicket and limped to 76-4 at stumps on Day 2. Saud Shakeel was not out on 13 and nightwatchman Kashif Ali was unbeaten on 1 with Pakistan still needing a further 178 runs for an increasingly improbable victory on a turning pitch. West Indies lost the first test by 127 runs inside three days. Wicketkeeper Tevin Imlach missed out on an opportunity late in the final session when he couldn't hold on to a sharp chance from Shakeel that could have further punished the home team. Meanwhile, premier batter Babar Azam's (31) lean run of form at home of well over two years continued when off-spinner Kevin Sinclair (2-41) had him caught close to the wicket late on Day 2.

Earlier, West Indies captain Kraigg Braithwaite (52) finally hit a half century in his fourth innings of the series before West Indies frustrated Pakistan for two sessions before getting bowled out for 244 to give it an overall lead of 253. Left-arm spinner Noman Ali (4-80) and Sajid Khan (4-76) once again shared the bulk of the wickets as Ali ended up with a match haul of 10 wickets after claiming a hat-trick in his first-innings figures of 6-41. Imlach (35), debutant Amir Jangoo (30) and Sinclair (28) made meaningful contributions as the West Indies' countercharge against the spinners worked well with Brathwaite setting the tone of brisk scoring in the morning session. The West Indies lead was 154 when it lost the sixth wicket of Justin Greaves (10), who reverse swept to Abrar Ahmed early after lunch, but Sinclair and Imlach shared a 51-run stand and swelled the tourists' lead.

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Brathwaite had stretched West Indies' lead to 101 with nine second-innings wickets in hand but the tourists lost four wickets in the hour before lunch. It was in sharp contrast to a chaotic Day 1 that saw 20 wickets fall and Pakistan concede a slender nine-run lead after it was bowled out for 154 in reply to West Indies score of 163. Brathwaite's counterattacking approach against spinners paid off on Day 2 as he completed his half century off 57 balls with four boundaries and two big sixes against Ali and Khan. Brathwaite used his feet well against both spinners and even swept well as he raised his team's 50 inside the first hour with opening partner Mikyle Louis. Brathwaite and debutant Amir Jangoo (30) then added a further 42 runs before the tourists lost four wickets for 37 runs.

Khan twice came close to dismissing Brathwaite off successive balls, but on both occasions onfield umpire Rod Tucker of Australia had to change his decision as replays suggested the ball would have missed the leg stump. But Brathwaite's luck ran out soon after completing his half century when he was undone by Ali's flighted ball and was stumped. Jangoo, who was out for duck in the first innings, looked set against the spinners before he mistimed a sweep against Khan and lobbed an easy catch to the slips. Ali then made further inroads in his last two overs before the break when he had Kavem Hodge (15) stumped with another looping delivery and then Alick Athanaza (6) was trapped lbw on the backfoot from a delivery that didn't spin much. But Pakistan collapsed against the West Indies' spin trio early in its run-chase in the final session.

Sinclair trapped captain Shan Masood leg before wicket and celebrated the wicket with his trademark somersault and Mohammad Hurraira went for an extravagant reverse sweep against Motie and was also pinned down lbw. Kamran Ghulam (19) and Babar both had lucky escapes early on but couldn't capitalize on their chances. Motie dropped a low two-handed return catch of Babar and Greaves failed to hold onto a sharp edge off Kamran close to the wicket before both fell against some sharp and disciplined spin bowling to give the tourists the advantage in what is likely another three-day test match.

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