New Delhi: Spinners Sajid Khan and Noman Ali took early wickets and left the visitors reeling at 24-3 at the stumps on Day 2 in Rawalpindi on Friday. Shan Masood and Co. were struggling at 177/7 at one point but Saud Shakeel’s fighting hundred put the hosts ahead in the series-deciding match.
Pakistan took a 77-run lead in the first innings and England’s batters came out to put some pressure on Pakistani bowlers but their plan failed as Sajid removed Ben Duckett for 12 runs and Noman Ali removed Zak Crawley for 2 runs and Ollie Pope for one run.
Pakistan bowlers were looking to take more wickets but bad light stopped the second day’s play with five overs remaining. Joe Root and Harry Brook were at the crease as the visitors still need 53 runs to avoid an inning defeat with seven wickets left in hand.
The series is currently tied at 1-1 after England won the first Test by an innings and 47 runs while Pakistan made a sensational comeback and won the second Test by 152 runs.
Saud Shakeel’s fourth Test hundred put Pakistan in winning position
Saud Shakeel scored 134 runs off 223 balls and rescued his team from a troubling position. He anchored Pakistan’s innings from 177-7 to 344 all out. Rehan Ahmed picked up 4 wickets for England and Shoaib Bashir also took 3 wickets.
The 29-year-old Shakeel defied England with an eighth wicket stand of 88 alongside Noman who made 45 before falling in the final over ahead of the tea break to spinner Bashir. Shakeel put pressure back on England with an 88-run partnership with Noman Ali, who scored 45 runs off 84 balls. He stitched another 72 runs for the ninth wicket with Sajid who scored an unbeaten career-best 48.
Shakeel was removed by Gus Atkinson and Rehan Ahmed removed Zahid Mahmood on a duck. Pakistan spinner will look to take early wickets to stop the hosts on low score in the second innings while Joe Root and Harry Brook will look to build a partnership on Day 3.
