Stumps Pakistan 266 for 2 (Shafique 107*, Babar 86*) trail West Indies 344 all out (Greaves 73, Chase 70, Sajid 4-85) by 78 runs

Pakistan's batters finally came to life in this Test series, imposing their authority on this second Test. An unbeaten 168-run partnership between Babar Azam and Abdullah Shafique saw Pakistan gallop to within 78 runs of West Indies' first innings total of 344. They did so with a flair and panache that belied the woes that have plagued them in this format of late. Shafique brought up his sixth Test century, and a first since 2024, in the dying stages of play, while Babar closes in on his first in four years, 14 runs away overnight.

The question, after West Indies had posted what appeared an above-par 344, was when, rather than if, Pakistan's innings would implode under pressure. Even as Azan Awais's bright half-century got them off to an enterprising start, Pakistan's supporters have been burned too often to buy the idea that a solid start is a building block to something better. They instead continued to believe there were furtive sticks of dynamite concealed in the foundations, and whatever Shafique and Babar tried to construct could also collapse in on itself.

But the pair shut out the outside noise, building upon confident beginnings before tea in a final session where West Indies were made to grind. After a watchful resumption, Shafique unfurled a pair of majestic drives off Roach to get to his half-century, and neutralising Warrican's spin while picking him off when he dropped it short.

It was, in the end, how he got to his hundred after the left-armer tried to strangle him down leg. He would wait all over stranded on 99 before his eyes lit up as the final delivery was dragged down, slapping it through midwicket before letting out a roar of relief.

For Babar Azam, what appeared most encouraging was how unremarkable the innings seemed. When West Indies turned to Jayden Seales, his bete noire, early on, Babar dispatched him for three boundaries, sharp to put anything over or under-pitched away. He began to grow into the innings looking better as it progressed, without ever retreating to his shell, something he has tended to do in the last few years when short on confidence. He spent the last hour of the day rotating the strike and depriving West Indies of any openings, determined to see the day out with no further losses.

Things had appeared much brighter for West Indies in the morning. Pakistan eventually went through the bottom half of West Indies' line-up, but not before half-centuries from Justin Greaves and Roston Chase helped their side add 105 runs to their overnight score.

Mohammad Ali started errantly and Roston Chase punished him with a pair of boundaries in the second over. But when Babar took the new ball and handed it to left arm spinner Ali Usman, he struck with his first ball as Greaves leading edge found Awais Zafar at short third. Kemar Roach battled as Chase continued to chip away in a continuing trend where every partnership in the innings bar one ended up reaching double figures.

Ubaid Shah, who had been held back with the new ball, struck with his first delivery off the day, a lovely cross-seam ball that flicked the top of Chase's middle stump off the pad. For once, Shamar Joseph's adventurism did not amount to much as Sajid Khan cleaned him up, but Pakistan continued to sustain damage on their way to inevitably polishing West Indies off.

Pakistan were determined to set the tone early on with the bat. In the absence of Shan Masood, Pakistan's approach up top wasn't clear, but Awais put any doubts to rest when he guided the innings' second ball to fine leg for four off Kemar Roach. In Roach's second over, the veteran West Indies seamer was hit out of the attack with three successive boundaries, forcing Roston Chase into the introduction of Warrican after four overs.

However, it was the fast bowling change at the other end that drew first blood for the hosts. Shamar Joseph was cut away by Imam-ul-Haq first ball, but drew his length back and upped the pace to cramp Imam on the back foot and hit the splice of his bat as he recoiled. It flew up to gully and sent the opener on his way.

It did not dull Pakistan's spark, though. Joseph bowled the quickest deliveries of the series a couple of overs later, including getting one up to a shade under 150, but Awais did not back down, dispatching him for four boundaries, and out of the attack. Abdullah Shafique, meanwhile, took on Warrican's spin, picking him up over extra cover for a classy pair of sixes, and sweeping him when he went too straight.

That sweep shot, though, got Awais in trouble when he failed to get out of the line of the stumps on one occasion. West Indies reviewed, and Hawkeye showed it slamming into leg stump, giving the hosts a breakthrough they desperately required.

But Pakistan stuck to their gameplan in the half hour remaining before tea, with Babar particularly proactive at taking pace on. It was a harbinger of what was to come in one of the best batting sessions Pakistan have enjoyed in years.