Misbah-ul-Haq missed a Test century by one run for the second consecutive match but Azhar Ali completed three figures as Pakistan took a first innings lead of 81, totalling 393 in reply to the West Indies' 312 on the third day of the second Test at Kensington Oval in Barbados on Tuesday. Deprived of the landmark when stranded on 99 not out in the first innings of the first Test in Jamaica, the Pakistan captain appeared destined to accomplish the feat on this occasion, only to be dismissed in a bizarre manner, triggering a mini collapse in which three wickets fell for 13 runs just before tea.
Having survived an optimistic appeal for LBW against his West Indian counterpart Jason Holder the ball before, Misbah attempted to pull out of the way of the next delivery which lifted sharply and came off the glove for Shai Hope to gleefully hold the catch at second slip. His typically phlegmatic, unflustered innings lasted almost five hours in which he faced 201 balls, striking two sixes and nine fours. It was also the first time he was dismissed in the series after two unbeaten innings in Kingston.
On day four, Pakistan struck an early blow after the West Indies resumed at 40 for one when Mohammad Amir bowled Shimron Hetmyer before the left-hander could add to his overnight score of 22. However Kraigg Brathwaite continued to bat resolutely in partnership with new batsman Hope, the pair putting on 56 for the third wicket despite the varying challenges posed by the tourists' combination of pace and wrist-spin. It was the more experienced of the two leg-spinners, Yasir Shah, who provided the breakthrough when he removed the obdurate Brathwaite for 43.
Bowling round the wicket and seeking to exploit the rough areas outside the right-hander's leg-stump, Shah managed to get a delivery to bounce and turn sharply to take the shoulder of the bat for Younis Khan to pull in his fourth catch of the match diving to his right at slip. Fresh from a century in the first innings, Chase started confidently alongside Hope, who reached the interval on 25 with his fellow Barbadian on 12.
With the deteriorating nature of the pitch presenting increasing challenges to the batsmen, West Indies will be banking on their middle and lower order in pursuit of a lead in excess of 175 runs as they seek a series-levelling victory ahead of the third and final Test beginning in a week's time in Dominica.
Pakistan are yet to win a Test match at Kensington Oval in six previous attempts dating back to 1958 and victory here will also earn them a Test series triumph in the Caribbean for the first time ever. "This pitch is very difficult to bat on and it was important that we did the hard work to get a first innings lead," said Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur in putting his side's very deliberate batting approach into context. "We need our spinners to hit their lines and lengths on the fourth day because it will be extremely tough to chase any sort of decent target in the fourth innings here."
SCOREBOARD Scoreboard at lunch on the fourth day of the second Test between the West Indies and Pakistan at Kensington Oval in Barbados on Wednesday: West Indies 1st Innings - 312
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Pakistan 1st Innings - 393
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West Indies 2nd innings (overnight 40 for 1)
K. Brathwaite c Younis b Y. Shah 43
K. Powell c S. Ahmed b M. Abbas 6
S. Hetmyer b M. Amir 22
S. Hope not out 25
R. Chase not out 12
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Extras: (b-4) 4
Total: (3 wkts, 43 overs) 112
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Fall of wicket: 1-8 (Powell), 2-41 (Hetmyer), 3-97 (Brathwaite)
To bat: V. Singh, S. Dowrich, J. Holder, D. Bishoo, A. Joseph, S. Gabriel
Bowling: M. Amir 10-3-27-1, M. Abbas 12-4-27-1, Y. Shah 13-4-28-1, S. Khan 8-0-26-0
Toss: West Indies
Umpires: Richard Kettleborough (ENG), Bruce Oxenford (AUS)
Match Referee: Chris Broad (ENG).
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2017