WI close in on rare win

SHARJAH, UAE (CMC):

West Indies were on the verge of their first Test win in 19 months and the first on foreign soil in four years, but a nervous final day lay ahead of the unpredictable Caribbean side in their quest to capture the third and final Test against Pakistan.

Set a modest 153 for victory on the penultimate day of the contest at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium here yesterday, the Windies produced one of their now familiar implosions to slump to 67 for five on the stroke of the first hour after tea, before recovering to reach 114 for five at the close.

Once again, vice-captain Kraigg Brathwaite was at the heart of the West Indies' enterprise, stroking an unbeaten 44 in an unbroken 47-run, sixth wicket stand with wicketkeeper/batsman Shane Dowrich, who was not out on 36.

Brathwaite, who carried his bat in the first innings for 142, has so far faced 88 deliveries and counted four fours, while Dowrich has consumed 61 balls and struck three fours and a six.

Together, the Barbadian duo propped up the innings, which looked like it was coming apart at the seams when leg-spinner Yasir Shah ripped through the innings after tea, to finish with three for 30.

Left-arm seamer Wahab Riaz also snapped up two quick wickets for 30 runs as West Indies stumbled, jeopardising their pursuit of a first Test win since they beat England in Bridgetown last year May.

West Indies require another 39 runs for victory.

On a day when 11 wickets tumbled, captain and seamer Jason Holder captured his maiden five-wicket haul in Tests as Pakistan were dismissed for 208 in their second innings after resuming on 87 for four.

Opener Azhar Ali converted his overnight 45 into a top score of 91, while wicketkeeper/batsman Sarfraz Ahmed, unbeaten on 19 at the start, made 42.

The pair extended their fifth wicket stand to 86 before being separated as the hosts surrendered their last six wickets for 74 runs.

Holder claimed two of those wickets to end with superb figures of five for 30 while leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo picked up three for 46.

SCOREBOARD

PAKISTAN 1st Innings 281

WEST INDIES 1st Innings 337

PAKISTAN 2nd Innings

(overnight 87 for four)

Sami Aslam c Joseph b Holder 17

Azhar Ali c Bravo b Bishoo 91

Asad Shafiq c Bravo b Holder 0

Younis Khan c wkp Dowrich b Holder 0

*Misbah-ul-Haq c Bishoo b Chase 4

+Sarfraz Ahmed c Bravo b Bishoo 42

Mohammad Nawaz c Johnson b Bishoo 19

Mohammad Amir run out 8

Wahab Riaz c Johnson b Holder 1

Yasir Shah lbw b Holder 0

Zulfiqar Babar not out 15

Extras (b2, lb1, w6, nb2) 11

TOTAL (all out, 81.3 overs) 208

Fall of wickets: 1-37, 2-41, 3-41, 4-48, 5-134, 6-175, 7-189, 8-192, 9-193, 10-208.

Bowling: Gabriel 15-1-36-0 (w1, nb2), Joseph 14-3-41-0 (w1), Holder 17.3-5-30-5, Brathwaite 1-0-5-0, Chase 15-1-47-1, Bishoo 19-2-46-3.

WEST INDIES 2nd Innings (target: 153 runs)

K Brathwaite not out 44

L Johnson lbw b Yasir Shah 12

D Bravo c wkp Sarfraz Ahmed b Yasir Shah 3

M Samuels c Zulfiqar Babar b Yasir Shah 10

J Blackwood b Wahab Riaz 4

R Chase c Mohammad Nawaz b Wahab Riaz 2

+S Dowrich not out 36

Extras (lb2, nb1) 3

TOTAL (5 wkts, 36 overs) 114

Fall of wickets: 1-29, 2-35, 3-57, 4-63, 5-67.

Bowling: Mohammad Amir 8-0-29-0 (nb1), Wahab Riaz 8-0-30-2, Yasir Shah 13-4-30-3, Zulfiqar Babar 3-1-3-0, Mohammed Nawaz 4-0-20-0.

Position: West Indies require a further 39 runs for victory with five wickets intact.