RAWALPINDI – Pakistan lost five early wickets for 151 runs while chasing a target of 267 runs set by England on second day of Third Test match on Friday.
As the innings started, Pakistan quickly lost Abdullah Shafiq (14), Saim Ayub (19), and Kamran Ghulam (3).
Skipper Shan Masood watched the dismissals from the other end and will look to devise a better strategy for the following day.
At stumps, both Masood and Saud Shakeel remained not out at 16 runs each. England’s bowlers Jack Leach, Gus Atkinson, and Shoaib Bashir each claimed a wicket.
Earlier, Jamie Smith played a crucial innings under pressure, helping England recover from a precarious position. After lunch, England had collapsed to 118 for 6, but Smith partnered with Atkinson to build a vital seventh-wicket stand, scoring 107 runs together. They tackled the Pakistani spinners effectively after a shaky start.
Just before tea, Pakistan managed to break the partnership, with Nauman Ali and Zahid Mehmood taking two quick wickets. Atkinson, who scored 39 runs, was caught by Nauman, marking his third wicket of the innings. Zahid, despite being expensive, successfully trapped Smith, who fell just short of a century with 91 runs.
Nauman and Sajid Khan shared seven wickets between them, while Zahid claimed one, allowing Pakistan to enter the tea break with renewed confidence.
After lunch, Sajid quickly dismissed England’s captain Ben Stokes, leaving the visitors struggling at 120 for 6. Sajid and Nauman Ali effectively stifled the England batsmen after taking their first wicket at 56.
England, opting to bat first on a pitch expected to favor spin, faced a severe collapse despite a promising start from openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley. The duo initially thrived, but the spin pair of Nauman and Sajid quickly took control.
Nauman dismissed Crawley for 29 runs, while Duckett continued to score runs but lacked support from his teammates. Duckett reached his half-century, but wickets fell around him, with Ollie Pope (3), Joe Root (5), and Harry Brook (5) all falling to Nauman and Sajid before lunch. England went into the lunch break at 110 for 5 after 30 overs, with all overs bowled by Sajid and Nauman, who were capitalizing on the pitch conditions.
After lunch, Stokes attempted to stabilize the innings but was caught in the slips by Salman Ali Agha off Sajid’s bowling.
England’s captain Ben Stokes won the toss and chose to bat first in this decisive Test. The visitors made two changes to their lineup, bringing in Gus Atkinson and Rehan Ahmed for Brandon Carse and Mathew Potts.
Pakistan did not make any changes to the playing XI, and is determined to clinch the series 2-1.
Playing XI
Pakistan: Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood (captain), Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Aamir Jamal, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, and Zahid Mehmood.
England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith (wk), Gus Atkinson, Rehan Ahmed, Jack Leach, and Shoaib Bashir.
