West Indies were in danger of facing follow-on as they crawled to 151-6 at lunch on the third day of the second Test against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
Roston Chase was unbeaten on 11 and with him Shai Hope one not out as West Indies still trail Pakistan’s first innings total of 452 by 301 runs with four wickets in hand.
They need another 102 runs to avoid follow-on but with Sheikh Zayed Stadium pitch still not responsive to spinners it is unlikely Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq will ask West Indies to bat again.
Left-arm paceman Rahat Ali was the best Pakistani bowler with 3-45 but leg-spinner Yasir Shah has only one wicket and fellow spinner Zulfiqar Babar is yet to dismiss a batsman.
Resuming at 106-4, West Indies lost overnight batsman Jermaine Blackwood in the seventh over of the day when he edged Rahat to wicket-keeper Sarfraz Ahmed after scoring just eight.
Left-arm Chase and nightwatchman Devendra Bishoo were lucky to avert two umpiring decisions, one each by Englishmen Richard Illingworth and Michael Gough.
Illingworth gave Chase leg-before off fast bowler Sohail Khan on seven while Gough declared Bishoo leg-before off Zulfiqar Babar on 17.
But Sohail had the last laugh when he clean bowled Bishoo for 20, leaving West Indies struggling at 144-6.
Pakistan leads the three-match series 1-0 on account of their 56-run win in the first Test — a day-night affair.