West Indies stayed in the hunt for its first test win in Pakistan in 35 years after its batters came good on a turning wicket to set up a tricky target of 254 runs in the second test on Sunday. Pakistan's top-order stuttered for the second successive time on its own engineered spin wicket and limped to 76-4 at stumps on Day 2. Saud Shakeel was not out on 13 and nightwatchman Kashif Ali was unbeaten on 1 with Pakistan still needing a further 178 runs for an increasingly improbable victory on a turning pitch. West Indies lost the first test by 127 runs inside three days. Wicketkeeper Tevin Imlach missed out on an opportunity late in the final session when he couldn't hold on to a sharp chance from Shakeel that could have further punished the home team. Meanwhile, premier batter Babar Azam's (31) lean run of form at home of well over two years continued when off-spinner Kevin Sinclair (2-41) had him caught close to the wicket late on Day 2.

Earlier, West Indies captain Kraigg Braithwaite (52) finally hit a half century in his fourth innings of the series before West Indies frustrated Pakistan for two sessions before getting bowled out for 244 to give it an overall lead of 253. Left-arm spinner Noman Ali (4-80) and Sajid Khan (4-76) once again shared the bulk of the wickets as Ali ended up with a match haul of 10 wickets after claiming a hat-trick in his first-innings figures of 6-41. Imlach (35), debutant Amir Jangoo (30) and Sinclair (28) made meaningful contributions as the West Indies' countercharge against the spinners worked well with Brathwaite setting the tone of brisk scoring in the morning session. The West Indies lead was 154 when it lost the sixth wicket of Justin Greaves (10), who reverse swept to Abrar Ahmed early after lunch, but Sinclair and Imlach shared a 51-run stand and swelled the tourists' lead.