Kevin Sinclair led a West Indian spin trio to give the tourists a sniff of a series-levelling win in the second Test Sunday with Pakistan on the ropes at 76-4 after day two in Multan.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Skipper Kraigg Brathwaite hit a half-century as the West Indies scored 244 in their second innings to set the hosts a daunting 254-run target on a spinning Multan Stadium pitch.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
At stumps Saud Shakeel was unbeaten on 13 and nightwatchman Kashif Ali on one. The West Indies need only six more wickets to draw the series 1-1.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Pakistan need 178 runs for victory. They won the first Test by 127 runs, also in Multan.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Sinclair (2-41) opened the floodgates by trapping Pakistan skipper Shan Masood leg before for two and then had the prized wicket of Babar Azam caught for a dour 31.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Azam had added 43 with Kamran Ghulam, who was dropped twice, on two and six, but the lapses did not prove costly to the West Indies.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Gudakesh Motie had Muhammad Hurraira for two and Jomel Warrican dismissed Ghulam for 19.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The day saw 14 wickets fall, after 20 on day one.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"Our captain set the stage and infused confidence in the batters to follow," Warrican said of Brathwaite.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"We have the confidence to pull off this victory, which would be a big win in these challenging conditions."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Pakistan still believe.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"There is nothing impossible in this game," said spinner Sajid Khan.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"Shakeel has batted well on such pitches and then we have other batters also, so if we have that belief then we can score the required runs."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
In the morning opener Brathwaite led the fight for the visitors with a gritty 52.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The last four wickets added an invaluable 99 runs before the tourists were dismissed for 244 in their second innings at tea.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Left-arm spinner Noman Ali finished with 4-80 -- 10 wickets in the match -- while partner Sajid took 4-76, six in the match.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The West Indies were 129-5 at lunch when Noman dismissed Alick Athanaze for six, before the visitors put up a fight that could prove decisive.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Tevin Imlach scored 35 and Sinclair 28 to boost their team's lead during a stubborn stand of 51 for the seventh wicket, before Sajid accounted for Sinclair and Motie for 18.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Pacer Kashif had Imlach but the last pair of Warrican and Kemar Roach took the total past 240, before Sajid had Warrican caught for 18.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Earlier, Brathwaite led the way with two sixes and four boundaries in his 31st Test half-century.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Noman broke a solid 50-run opening stand by dismissing Mikyle Louis for seven after the tourists started their second innings in the morning.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Brathwaite overturned two leg-before decisions against him before he was stumped by Mohammad Rizwan off Noman.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Debutant Amir Jangoo also batted well for his 30 with three boundaries, before Sajid had him caught in the slips by Salman Agha.<\/p>\r\n\r\n