Half-centuries from Babar Azam and Fawad Alam wrested the early initiative from the West Indies and put Pakistan in a position of strength at the end of the first day of the second Betway Test at Sabina Park on Friday.

The two came together with Pakistan three wickets down with only two runs on the board after Kemar Roach removed Abid Ali for 1 and Azhar Ali for a duck and Jayden Seales dismissed for Imran Butt for one by the end of the fourth over of the day.

Together they mounted a fightback putting on 158 runs for the fourth wicket before Alam, on 76, was forced to retire hurt from a leg injury with the score of 160-3.

Not long after, with the score on 168, Roach picked up his third wicket when he had Babar caught at slip by Jason Holder for 75.

The West Indies were unable to make any further breakthroughs as Mohammad Rizwan and Faheem Ashraf on 22 and 23, respectively saw Pakistan safely to stumps on 212-4 having stitched together a fifth-wicket stand of 44.

Kemar Roach was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3-49 from 17 overs. Seales took 1-25 from 11 overs.