Opener Sami Aslam hit a patient half century to lead Pakistan to 148-3 on the opening day of the third and final cricket Test against West Indies, here today.
Aslam was batting on 72 for his fifth fifty in Tests while skipper Misbah-ul-Haq was 18 not out after Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat on a flat Sharjah stadium pitch.
Aslam had added 106 for the third wicket with Younis Khan, who made 51, as the two helped Pakistan overcome the early loss of opener Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq, who both failed to score.
Pakistan, 81-2 at lunch, lost Younis after the 38-year-old played a rare rash shot off spinner Rostan Chase and was caught at mid-wicket by Leon Johnson.
Younis hit four boundaries and a six off Chase in completing his 31st Test half century.
Since Younis's fall, Aslam and Misbah added 41 for the fifth wicket, with the Pakistan skipper surviving a close leg-before call off Shannon Gabriel when on six.
West Indian captain Jason Holder took a review against Australian umpire Paul Rieffel's not out decision but television umpire Richard Illingworth backed up the on-field official on the basis of sound, which could have been an edge off the bat.
But Aslam batted without any problems, hitting seven boundaries and a six during his 167-ball knock.
It was Gabriel who jolted the Pakistan innings at the start with the wickets of Ali and Shafiq in the very first over of the match.
Ali, who scored a career-best 302 not out in the first Test, edged a lifting delivery from Gabriel to slip after Sami had taken a single off the first ball.
Asad Shafiq also survived just one delivery before being trapped lbw as that time Holder successfully challenged Reiffel's not out decision.
Gabriel had figures of 2-39 at tea.
Pakistan brought back pacemen Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz -- rested for the second Test -- in place of Sohail Khan and Rahat Ali.
West Indies also made two changes from the Abu Dhabi Test, with fit-again wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich replacing Shai Hope and paceman Alzarri Joseph coming in for Miguel Cummins.
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