HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP):

Zimbabwe sensed the chance of a long-awaited victory over a top team as Pakistan was 158-5 at stumps on the fourth day of the second Test yesterday, with the tourists needing another 106 runs to win on a finely balanced final day.

Seeking to draw the two-game series, Zimbabwe claimed two important wickets in the final session, with opener Khurram Manzoor out for 54 and the experienced Younis Khan gone for 29.

Asad Shafiq was also out before the close, but Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq was 26 not out in pursuit of 264 for victory. The skipper holds the key for Pakistan on Saturday, with wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal 17 not out alongside him.

With five middle and lower-order wickets in hand, but with the Harare Sports Club pitch showing wear and some uneven bounce, Pakistan needs a gritty final-day batting effort to claim the series.

Pakistan lead 1-0 after a 221-run win in the first match and although a draw will be enough for the Pakistanis, who have lost their last two Test series, that result is unlikely.

Victory is within reach for both teams.

Seamer Rahat Ali earlier claimed five wickets for Pakistan to bowl Zimbabwe out for 199 in its second innings soon after lunch, with Ali's match-leading figures of 5-52 giving Pakistan an initially reachable target.

Yet, apart from Manzoor, Pakistan's top order failed to negotiate the testing final-innings conditions on a pitch that has hosted two Tests in two weeks. Opener Mohammad Hafeez and No. 3 Azhar Ali, who saw his stumps splayed by Tendai Chatara (2-29), went before the tea break and Manzoor, Younis and Shafiq fell in the last session to boost Zimbabwe's hopes.

Manzoor was the first crucial breakthrough after he smashed 11 fours in his 66-ball 54 and looked in red-hot form before falling to offspinner Prosper Utseya, who took 2-40. Younis lost his leg stump to a swinging Brian Vitori delivery to energise the Zimbabweans. And when Shafiq edged behind off Utseya trying a flashing cut shot, Pakistan decided to close shop and take its chances today, when it has a whole day to get just over 100 runs.

However, wickets have fallen in bunches throughout this Test, with Pakistan going from 211-4 to 230 all out in its first innings and Zimbabwe sliding rapidly from 117-1 to 199 all out in its second innings.

With Pakistan always expected to win the series, much of the focus will be on Zimbabwe's attempt to end a problematic tour on a rare high after players threatened to strike over unpaid wages and the struggling Zimbabwe cricket board moved the second Test from Bulawayo to Harare to save costs.

Ironically, that may work out in favour of the home team as the well-used pitch deteriorates and proves harder and harder to bat on.

Zimbabwe hasn't won a Test over anyone other than Bangladesh since 2001 and last beat Pakistan in 1998. Test cricket's strugglers have also lost four of six series since returning to the longer format in 2011.

Scoreboard

Zimbabwe 1st Innings: 294

Pakistan 1st Innings: 230

Zimbabwe 2nd Innings

(Overnight: 121-4)

Tino Mawoyo lbw b Rehman 58

Prosper Utseya c Shafiq b RAli 5

Hamilton Masakadza lbw b RAli 44

Tinashe Panyangara c AAli b Rehman 0

Brendan Taylor c AAli b RAli 27

Vusi Sibanda c Akmal b RAli 10

Malcolm Waller c Manzoor b Ajmal 3

Elton Chigumbura c Akmal b JKhan 3

Richmond Mutumbami c Rehman b Ajmal 29

Tendai Chatara c Akmal b RAli 1

Brian Vitori not out 0

Extras: (3b, 11lb, 5w) 19

TOTAL: (all out) 199

Overs: 89.5

Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-117, 3-121, 4-121, 5-136, 6-149, 7-156, 8-177, 9-199.

Bowling: Junaid Khan 19-6-37-1 (1w), Rahat Ali 24.5-5-52-5, Saeed Ajmal 22-7-56-2, Abdur Rehman 24-5-40-2.

Pakistan 2nd Innings

(Target: 264)

Khurram Manzoor c Waller b Utseya 54

Mohammad Hafeez c Vitori b Chatara 16

Azhar Ali b Chatara 0

Younis Khan b Vitori 29

Misbah-ul-Haq not out 26

Asad Shafiq c Mutumbami b Utseya 14

Adnan Akmal not out 17

Extras: (1w, 1nb) 2

TOTAL: (for 5 wickets) 158

Still to bat: Abdur Rehman, Saeed Ajmal, Junaid Khan, Rahat Ali.

Fall of wickets: 1-30, 2-46, 3-90, 4-100, 5-133.

Bowling: Tinashe Panyangara 10-2-32-0, Brian Vitori 12-2-55-1 (1w), Tendai Chatara 13-2-29-2 (1nb), Prosper Utseya 13-2-40-2, Hamilton Masakadza 1-0-2-0.

Toss: Zimbabwe.

Series: Pakistan leads two-match series 1-0.