Sharjah: Opening batsman Kraigg Brathwaite and Shane Dowrich lifted West Indies to within sight of a consolation win in the third Test on Wednesday and denying Pakistan a series clean sweep.
West Indies bowled out Pakistan in the middle session for 208 to set up a target of 153, and was a tense 114-5 at stumps on day four.
The visitors need 39 more runs for their first win in 14 Tests and 18 months, and first win away from home against a major team since 2007.
Brathwaite, who carried his bat in the first innings, was yet again unbeaten on a composed 44 off 88 balls. Dowrich was 36 not out.
Legspinner Yasir Shah (3-30) and Wahab Riaz (2-30) reduced the West Indies run chase to 67-5 before Brathwaite and Dowrich added 47 runs and brought West Indies back into the match.
Pakistan, already leading the series 2-0, collapsed from 87-4 overnight with more than four sessions left in the match.
West Indies captain and fast bowler Jason Holder secured his maiden five-wicket haul with 5-30, and legspinner Devendra Bishoo finished with 3-46 to raise his wickets tally to 18 in the series.
"There's still a job to do," Bishoo said. "We can't take anything for granted. We have to stay focused ... and it would be amazing if we finish this off on a high."
Azhar Ali top-scored with 91 and added 86 runs with Sarfraz Ahmed (42) before both fell to Bishoo while attempting needless shots.
West Indies was sharp in the field, too, with Leon Johnson plucking two brilliant reflex catches at short leg, and Mohammad Amir was laughably run out by Roston Chase's stunning fielding at long on.
Amir thought he hit a six, and walked to mid-pitch to meet batting partner Wahab Riaz. When Amir realized Chase fielded the ball, he tried to run to the other end without his bat and was beaten by the throw.
West Indies got two lucky escapes at the onset of its run chase when Johnson was dropped in the slips in Amir's eventful first two overs.
"We did make some mistakes (but) what's gone is gone, we need to come hard tomorrow and break the partnership early," Azhar said. "It will be great for our morale if we manage to pull this off because there are harder challenges coming up for us (against New Zealand and Australia)."
Captain Misbah-ul-Haq's and Sami Aslam's dropped catches didn't cost Pakistan much as Shah struck in successive overs after tea. The wily legspinner first trapped Johnson (12) leg before wicket, and then had the prized wicket of Darren Bravo (3) caught behind.
Marlon Samuels' poor run of form continued in the series when Shah snagged his 21st wicket in the series by having him caught at long on for 10.
Riaz used the crease well to have Jermaine Blackwood clean bowled for 4, and Chase drove the left-arm seamer straight to mid-wicket on 2 to raise Pakistan hopes.
But Pakistan wasted both of its television referrals against Brathwaite and Dowrich, and the batsmen kept their nerves and carried West Indies closer to victory.
