The visitors resumed on 180-6 but slumped to 194-9 early in the day before fast bowler Tanvir Ahmed’s robust 57 helped push the total to a respectable 272.

He shared a last wicket stand of 78 with off-spinner Saeed Ajmal, who contributed a valuable 23 not out.

Tanvir returned to claim a wicket with his second delivery while all the bowlers chipped in as the hosts closed on 184-8, still 88 runs behind.

The three Pakistan spinners each claimed two wickets with off-spinning all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez leading the way with 2-16. Left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman took 2-46 while Ajmal claimed 2-49.

Tanvir (1-13) and left-arm seamer Wahab Riaz (1-53) had prised out the openers early.

Marlon Samuels struck seven fours and two sixes in an elegant top-score of 57. The Jamaican right-hander, only in the team due to the late withdrawal of veteran Shivnarine Chanderpaul due to shoulder stiffness, faced 124 balls and occupied 147 minutes.

The West Indies began the day brightly when captain Darren Sammy’s medium pace removed Abdur Rehman (3) to an edge through to the wicket-keeper.

Next ball, leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo struck as wicket-keeper Mohammad Salman (13) chipped an on-drive to mid-on.

Wahab Riaz was soon dropped by wicket-keeper Carlton Baugh off Kemar Roach but could not make use of his let-off.

He fell to the same combination before he had scored and the West Indies sensed a swift kill at 194-9.

But Tanvir, in his fourth test, batted sensibly despite a few edges flying to vacant areas and forged a firm resistance with the stodgy Ajmal.

Their stand reached 78 off 151 balls before Bishoo returned on the stroke of lunch to claim a palpable lbw as Tanvir played off the back foot.

Tanvir lashed 10 boundaries off 97 balls.

Ajmal hit a four and a six off 79 deliveries.

Ravi Rampaul finished with 3-68 while Bishoo claimed 3-80.

Sammy took 2-70.

Pakistan carried the momentum after the break as well and West Indies was reduced to 0-1 when Lendl Simmons edged Tanvir’s second delivery into the hands of Taufeeq Ahmed at second slip.

Kraigg Brathwaite, the 18-year-old debutante, got off the mark with a sweet square drive but only reached 15 before he chased a wide delivery and was also held at second slip by Taufeeq. This time, Wahab was the successful bowler.

Ramnaresh Sarwan and Darren Bravo dragged their side from the peril of 22-2 with a stand of 32.

But Pakistan’s spinners removed both before tea to stall the innings.

Sarwan, who struck three fours in 20 off 32 balls, was stumped off Ajmal. His attempted on-drive deflected off inside edge and pad through to wicket-keeper Mohammad Salman, whose swift work found Sarwan out of his ground.

Bravo compiled 24 off 87 balls but never looked convincing as he and Marlon Samuels added a further 40 for the fourth wicket.

The left-hander fell on the stroke of tea, popping a catch to gully from the third delivery bowled by all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez.

The hosts slipped to 104-6 soon after tea when Brendan Nash (6), caught at slip off Hafeez, and Carlton Baugh (6), lbw sweeping at Rehman.

Samuels and Sammy forged a useful alliance for the seventh wicket, adding 37 before Sammy (16) lofted Rehman to long-off where Umar Akmal collected a fine running catch.

Samuels passed his half century soon afterwards but also fell trying to hit over the top against Ajmal.

Roach and Rampaul resisted gamely in the last half hour, adding 26 unbroken for the ninth wicket.

Left-hander Rampaul swatted two sixes in an unbeaten 15 while Roach added one maximum of his own in reaching 10 not out.