Pakistan in driver's seat against West Indies

Interestingly, the record chase is in the name of Caribbeans

West Indies are 285 runs away from an improbable win and Pakistan need six more wickets starting with Roston Chase or Jermaine Blackwood to clinch the second Test at the Shaikh Zayed Cricket Stadium.
West Indies were 171 for loss of four wickets from 62 overs at the end of fourth day on Monday. Blackwood (41) and Chase (17) have knitted 47-run unbeaten partnership after Pakistan set a record chase of 456 runs.
Interestingly, the record chase is in the name of West Indies. They chased 418 for loss of 7 against Australia at St John's but 13 years back.
For West Indies, Kraigg Brathwaite and Leon Jonson made hopeful start but Yasir Shah ended their 28-run partnership. Jonson was out for nine from 26 balls. He went for a sweep but played on the delivery to give Yasir a wicket in his second over. Pakistan had dealt first blow inside eighth over.
Brathwaite was holding well and took Zulfiqar Babar for a maximum over long-on. West Indies brought up 50 in 13th over. Darren Bravo struck a boundary off Yasir to cut down chase to below 400. A small partnership was blossoming but Rahat Ali soon packed off Bravo. The Trinidad and Tobago player went for a lavish cut and ended up giving catch to Mohammad Nawaz. Bravo ended with 13 from 34 balls.
Meanwhile, Brathwaite brought up his fifty off 71 balls and with Marlon Samuels stitched a good phase for West Indies. They were happy defending and waiting for the bad balls to score.
But the run ended in a soft dismissal. Samuels (23) chipped a return catch to Yasir and the fruitful 49-run tie was broken.
Jermaine Blackwood made a brisk start with boundaries off Nawaz and Yasir. West Indies looked good but then Nawaz got the big wicket of Brathwaite (67) with score at 124 from 44 overs.
Though umpire Michael Gough gave not out. Review showed the ball had hit Brathwaite pad and would continue to leg stump. For the fifth time in this match, the Englishman's call was overturned. And with Brathwaite gone, West Indies fight had lost teeth. Now, West Indies will bank heavily on Blackwood-Chase duo to build on their partnership and make the final day count.
Earlier at lunch, Pakistan declared their second innings after scoring 227 for loss of two wickets.
Pakistan were solid in the morning session and scored 113 runs in 28 overs for loss of Azhar Ali.
Asad Shafiq (58) and Younis Khan (29) stitched a 63-run partnership for the third wicket.
West Indies tasted success in the 12th over of the morning.
Miguel Cummins induced an edge out of Azhar Ali that was caught by Jason Holder. Azhar added 27 runs to his overnight score and was out for 79. It was Cummins first wicket of the match and ended 71-run Azhar-Shafiq partnership.
Pakistan are well-placed to continue their winning run in Abu Dhabi. Pakistan have played eight matches here. They have won four and drawn the rest.
They have won the first Test in Dubai and can clinch the series with a victory in Abu Dhabi.
ashwani@khaleejtimes.com
 
 
Scoreboard
 
Pakistan first innings 452
West Indies first innings 224
Pakistan second innings (overnight 114-1)
Sami Aslam c Hope b Gabriel 50
Azhar Ali c Holder b Cummins 79
Asad Shafiq not out 58
Younis Khan not out 29
Extras: (b4, lb3, nb3, w1) 11
Total: (for 2 wkts; 67 overs dec) 227
Fall: 1-93 (Aslam), 2-164 (Ali)
Bowling: Gabriel 12-2-36-1 (2nb), Cummins 7-0-26-1 (1nb, 1w), Brathwaite 15-2-33-0, Bishoo 20-0-77-0, Holder 7-0-22-0, Chase 6-0-26-0
West Indies 2nd innings
Extras: (lb1) 1
Total: (for 4 wkts; 62 overs) 171
To bat: S. Hope, J. Holder, D. Bishoo, M. Cummins, S. Gabriel
Fall: 1-28 (Johnson), 2-63 (Bravo), 3-112 (Samuels), 4-124 (Brathwaite)
Bowling: Sohail 10-2-24-0, Rahat 14-1-40-1, Shah 18-0-60-2, Babar 15-5-32-0, Nawaz 5-0-14-1