Skipper Babar Azam and Vice-Captain Mohammad Rizwan did well to steady down the Pakistan second innings after the visitors came under threat at 65-4 after trailing by 36 runs in the first innings. With just 29 runs added to the dead, it was important for the two to take the responsibility and get the scoreboard ticking.
However, earlier in the day, West Indies were able to add only a couple of runs to their overnight score of 251/8 in the first Test match against Pakistan and were bundled out for 253 in the first innings at Sabina Park, Jamaica. Fast bowler Shaheen Afridi eventually returned with figures of 4/59 while Mohammad Abbas scalped a three-wicket haul during the course.
Pakistan then had a disappointing start once again as they lost opener Imran Butt for a duck. Abid Ali and Azhar Ali tried to steady the ship for the side and stitched together a partnership of 55 runs for the second wicket before Azhar was cleaned up by Kemar Roach for 23.
A couple of more wickets were lost in quick succession as the Babar Azam led team was reduced to 65/4 before the captain was joined by wicket-keeper batsman Rizwan in the middle.
The two batters resisted well against the Caribbean bowling attack and scored 56 runs for the fifth wicket. Rizwan was eventually undone by Jason Holder for 30 while Babar notched up a half-century and remained unbeaten at 54 at the end of the third day’s play. At 160/5, Pakistan were leading West Indies by 124 runs at stumps.
Roach and Jayden Seales picked up two wickets each for West Indies on the day. Roach admitted that the first hour of play on a penultimate day will be crucial for both sides.
“On a pitch that's pretty tough I think we are in a good position, five wickets away from bowling them out and tomorrow first hour will be very crucial to restrict them around 170-200 maybe. I knew I needed to bowl a bit straighter and using the crease and it worked well,” he said after the day’s play.