WI on brink of rare victory

Skipper Jason Holder took a maiden five-wicket haul and opener Kraigg Brathwaite stood firm in a tense chase to bring West Indies in sight of a consolation win in the third and final Test against Pakistan in Sharjah on Wednesday.

Holder set his team -- without a win in their last 13 Tests -- on the right path with a career-best 5-30 to dismantle Pakistan for 208, which gave the West Indies a target of 153 in 135 overs spread over four sessions.

When bad light forced closure nine overs early on the fourth and penultimate day, Brathwaite was unbeaten on 44 to anchor West Indies to 114-5, still needing 39 runs with five wickets intact.

Brathwaite, who carried his bat in the first innings with 142, has so far added 47 runs for the sixth wicket with Shane Dowrich (36 not out) to lift West Indies from a struggling 67-5.

Brathwaite, who survived a bat-pad catch review on 43, has hit four boundaries in another resolute 88-ball knock, frustrating Pakistan's bowling for a second time in the match.

Dowrich has hit a six and three boundaries for the West Indies.

From 23 without loss, West Indies slumped to 67-5 with leg-spinner Yasir Shah (3-30) dismissing Leon Johnson leg-before for 12, Darren Bravo caught behind for three and Marlon Samuels caught in the deep for 10 in the space of 13 balls.

Paceman Wahab Riaz then had Jermaine Blackwood bowled for four with a sharp incoming delivery and Roston Chase caught flicking by a jumping Mohammad Nawaz for two to bring Pakistan back in the game.

SCORES IN BRIEF

PAKISTAN: First innings 281

WEST INDIES: First innings 337

PAKISTAN: Second innings 208 (Aslam 17, Azhar 91, Sarfraz 42, Nawaz 19; Holder 5-30, Bishoo 3-46)

WEST INDIES: Second innings 114 for 5 (Brathwaite 44 not out, Dowrich 36 not out; Riaz 2-30, Shah 3-30)