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Misbah-ul-Haq - Source: Photosport -
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Pakistan captured five West Indies wickets late on the fourth day of the second test today to close in on a victory that would tie their two-test series.
West Indies ended the penultimate day in dire straits at 130 for five, still trailing by 297 runs, with their entire top order removed and a full three sessions to survive.
Taufeeq Umar and Misbah-ul-Haq had earlier both completed centuries, allowing Pakistan to make an early declaration and set West Indies a daunting target of 427 to win.
Umar equalled his highest test score of 135 while Misbah-ul-Haq was unbeaten 102 when Pakistan declared at 377 for six, just before tea.
West Indies, who won the first test in Guyana, suffered an immediate setback when opener Kraigg Brathwaite was bowled for a duck by a superb inswinger from Tanvir Ahmed.
The home side needed to show the kind of batting resilience that has long been missing from their displays and for a short while Lendl Simmons and Darren Bravo, two of the Caribbean's young batting hopes, offered some encouraging signs of resistance.
But Simmons was caught for 24 by Mohammad Hafeez, at the second attempt after he chopped at a rising delivery from slow left-armer Abdur Rehman and West Indies then slumped to 63-3 when Ramnaresh Sarwan was trapped lbw by Rehman without scoring, the verdict coming after a referral.
Jamaican Marlon Samuels made just six before he was caught behind as spinner Rehman picked up his third victim but with Bravo and Brendan Nash at the crease, there was still some hope of West Indies being able to put up a real fight.
Shortly after reaching his half-century though, Bravo was rapped on the pads by left-arm seamer Wahab Riaz and at 115-5, West Indies were already in big trouble.
Wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh joined Nash, who reached 30 by the close, and with only skipper Sammy remaining as a recognised batsman, the chances of defiance look slim, especially with their frailness against spin once again exposed.
