ROSEAU, Dominica, CMC – Fourteen wickets tumbled as a contest which ambled lazily for the first three days suddenly sprung to life on the fourth, leaving West Indies with the ominous task of surviving today’s final day to deny Pakistan an historic series win in the Caribbean.
On a topsy-turvy day at Windsor Park, West Indies were bowled out in their first innings for 247, as the outstanding rookie seamer Mohammad Abbas claimed his maiden five-wicket haul in Tests with five for 46.
Armed with a lead of 129, Pakistan slumped to 90 for seven in their second innings as West Indies wrested control before the visitors rebounded to declare on 174 for eight.
Set an improbable 304 to win on a turning pitch, West Indies ended on seven for one, still requiring a further 297 runs of their target.
They casualty was left-hander Kieran Powell (4) who pushed forward uncertainly to the third last ball of the day from leg-spinner Yasir Shah, for Shan Masood at silly point to come up with a brilliant low one-handed catch.
Earlier, West Indies’ hope of getting close to Pakistan’s first innings total of 376 were dashed as Abbas ran through the lower order to pick up four of the five wickets to fall for the addition of just 29 runs.
Leg-spinner Yasir Shah failed to add to his tally, finishing with three for 126.
Roston Chase, who retired hurt on 60 last evening, returned to top-score with 69 while captain Jason Holder finished unbeaten on 30.
The hosts were stunned in the first over of the morning when wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich lazily wafted at a wide ball and played on to seamer Mohammad Amir off the fourth delivery without adding to his overnight 20.
However, Chase and Holder held up Pakistan briefly in a small 21-run, seventh wicket stand, offering West Indies precious hope.
But Chase, sent to the hospital on Friday after taking a blow to the hand from Amir, failed to regain his touch and was bowled off his pads by Abbas, three-quarters of an hour into the day’s play after facing 155 deliveries and striking five fours.
Off the very next delivery, Devendra Bishoo edged a wide ball low to Younis Khan at second slip and on the stroke of the hour, Abbas struck again by bowling Alzarri Joseph also without scoring.
Last man Shannon Gabriel also failed to score, well taken at short leg by Babr Azam off Abbas, 45 minutes before lunch, leaving Holder stranded in an innings which lasted 87 deliveries and included three fours and a six.
The veteran pair of Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan, in their final innings before retirement, then signed off their illustrious careers with little fanfare as Pakistan stumbled and stuttered in their second turn at the crease.
Misbah made just two and Younis, 35, before being given a heart-felt send off as the Pakistani players formed a guard-of-honour to herald their exits.
The visitors slumped to eight for two at lunch and 72 for five at tea but Yasir Shah with an unbeaten 38 and Mohammed Amir, 27, added valuable runs in the final session to frustrate West Indies.
Gabriel got the first breakthrough 15 minutes before lunch when he claimed first innings century-maker Azhar Ali for three, cutting hard to point where substitute Jermaine Blackwood held onto a stinging catch.
And Azam fell to the final delivery before the interval without scoring, given out caught low down at short leg by Shimron Hetmyer off off-spinner Chase even though replays proved inconclusive.
After the break, Younis and opener Shan Masood (21) added an invaluable 49 for the third wicket, seeing the tourists safely through the first hour.
Younis faced 73 deliveries and struck three fours while the left-handed Masood hit a single four in a 68-ball knock.
But Gabriel intervened again in the second over following the drinks break, trapping Masood lbw with one that angled in, triggering a collapse where three wickets in all fell for 15 runs.
Misbah followed four overs later, top-edging a slog at Bishoo to Dowrich while Younis fell in the final over before tea, also top-edging Bishoo to Powell at short fine leg.
The Windies were in control then and even more so when fast bowler Joseph removed Sarfraz Ahmed (4) and Asad Shafiq (13) cheaply, to leave the innings in tatters at 90 for seven, about 40 minutes after tea.
However, Yasir and Amir came together in a 61-run eighth wicket stand to put the game back in Pakistan’s favour.
Yasir, caught behind off a Bishoo no-ball on 15, made the Windies pay by lashing two fours and a six in a breezy 55-ball knock while Amir, dropped by Dowrich on 17 off Chase, struck three fours off 69 deliveries.
By the time Amir slapped Joseph to Bishoo at cover, the Windies were already behind the game and Hasan Ali, put down on eight by Gabriel off Bishoo, thumped a four and a six to end on 15 from just six balls, as the declaration came five minutes before the scheduled close.
Joseph was the best bowler with three for 53 while Gabriel (2-24) and Bishoo (2-54) finished with two wickets apiece.
Scores: West Indies 7 for 1 (Brathwaite 3*, Powell 4, Yasir 1-2) and 249 (Chase 69, Abbas 5-46) need another 297 runs to beat Pakistan 376 and 174 for 8 dec (Yasir 38, Joseph 3-53).
