Pakistan's bowlers Sajid Khan and Noman Ali made crucial breakthroughs late on day three to reduce England to 36-2 in pursuit of a challenging 297-run target in the second Test at the Multan Cricket Stadium. England still requires 261 more runs to win with two wickets already lost after 11 overs.
Ben Duckett was dismissed for a two-ball duck, and Zak Crawley, who could score just 3 runs facing 8 balls, followed shortly after, leaving England reeling at 11-2. However, Joe Root, with unbeaten 12 runs off 26 balls and hitting one four, and Ollie Pope, gathering unbeaten 21 off 30 balls with the help of two fours, steadied the ship, guiding England to stumps without further damage.
Earlier in the day, Pakistan bowled England out for 291, claiming the remaining four wickets for just 52 runs. Resuming at an overnight score of 239 runs for the loss of six wickets, England struggled against the sharp spin of Sajid Khan, who claimed seven wickets for 111 in 26.2 overs, his second five-wicket haul in Test cricket and the best figures at this venue. Noman Ali provided a crucial support to Sajid Khan, as he claimed three wickets for 101 runs in his 28 overs.
With a 75-run lead after the first innings, Pakistan set about building a substantial target. Despite regular strikes by England's bowlers, Salman Ali Agha’s composed 63 off 89 balls, including five fours and one six, proved pivotal. Salman, along with Sajid Khan (22 off 43 balls), put on a critical 65-run partnership for the ninth wicket, lifting Pakistan to a second-innings total of 221 in 59.2 overs.
Useful contributions from Saud Shakeel (31), Kamran Ghulam (26), and Mohammad Rizwan (23) kept Pakistan ticking as they extended their lead close to 300 runs. England's Shoaib Bashir led their bowling effort with 4 for 66, while Jack Leach claimed 3 for 67, and Brydon Carse picked up two wickets. Now, the stage is set for a thrilling fourth day, with England needing a further 261 runs and Pakistan looking to capitalize on their strong position.
SCORES IN BRIEF:
SECOND TEST – DAY 3 OF 5: PAKISTAN 366 all out (Kamran Ghulam 118, Saim Ayub 77; Jack Leach 4-114, Brydon Carse 3-50, Matthew Potts 2-66) AND 221 all out (Salman Ali Agha 63, Saud Shakeel 31; Shoaib Bashir 4-66, Jack Leach 3-67, Brydon Carse 2-29) vs ENGLAND 291 all out (Ben Duckett 114, Joe Root 34; Sajid Khan 7-111, Noman Ali 3-101) AND 36-2 in 11 overs (Ollie Pope 21*, Joe Root 12*; Noman Ali 1-9, Sajid Khan 1-27).