West Indies are behind the eight-ball when play resumes on Day 4 of the second Betway Test against Pakistan at Sabina Park in Kingston on 39-for-three, still 263 runs behind the visitors’ first innings score of 302-9 declared.

Shaheen Afridi (2-13) made the most with the new ball, removing Kieran Powell for five and Kraig Brathwaite for four in successive overs. Faheem Ashraf (1-0) then bowled Roston Chase for 10 to have the West Indies reeling at 34-3.

Nkrumah Bonner is unbeaten on 18 and nightwatchman Alazarri Joseph is yet to score as the West Indies strive to save the match and win the series with two days to play.

It was Fawad Alam with his unbeaten 124 that put Pakistan in a position of strength, lifting his team from 2-3 to 302-9 and after they resumed from 212-4 on Sunday. Four sessions of play were lost to inclement weather and a wet outfield.

When play finally began following the prolonged interruption, promising youngster Jayden Seales took two wickets and Jason Holder took two wickets in two balls to reduce Pakistan to 267-8.

Resuming from his score of 76 after being forced to retire hurt suffering from cramps on Day 2, Fawad, having witnessed the dismissal of Mohammad Rizwan and Nauman Ali Fawad, helped rebuild the innings with his obdurate knock and deservedly reached his fifth Test hundred.

He helped push the score beyond 300 with partnerships of 36 with Hasan Ali, who was eventually run out for nine and then along with Afridi, who made 19, added a further 34, before Captain Babar Azam declared at 302-9.

His unbeaten knock lasted 213 deliveries during which he hit 17 fours.

“It was challenging. The conditions weren’t easy on Day 1, the heat, it was humid and hot. And we were 2 for 3 so we needed to come back, had to build partnerships. That’s what me and Babar did on the first day. I am very happy right now,” said Fawad afterwards about his century against tight West Indies bowling.

“Whenever you score a century for your country, you feel proud and that’s exactly what I’m feeling right now. I make things very simple. My dad always motivated me, and told me to just perform and your time will come one day. I just waited for my time and kept focusing on performing.”

Kemar Roach ended with figures of 3-68 and Seales, a very economical 3-31 from just 15 overs. Holder, meanwhile, took 2-46 from 23 overs.

The West Indies will have a task on their hands if they are to save this match in the face of accurate and penetrative bowling from Pakistan, a prospect that is not lost on Holder, the former captain.

“I think it’s a new-ball wicket. If you can get past the new ball with little damage, it’s a good track to bat on. Fawad showed us how to play, very patient. That partnership between him and Babar was very crucial. I expect when the sun comes out, everything will be more even,” he said while lamenting the poor state of the playing area after rain halted play all day on Saturday.

“Start of play, it was quite wet still. The surface was quite unstable. When I walked through I could feel the ground shifting, and running through was very hard. As I ran wider, it was easier on the foot. The surface wasn’t as loose. Straighter on it was quite loose, tough on the hamstring and calf. The angle that I want to approach for a left-hander it would have helped to be so wide, but I definitely don’t want to bowl to a right-hander from so wide. I knew I wouldn’t able to bowl a whole spell from that wide, still want to use the crease. I don’t think it was fit enough to start.”