Pakistan’s spinners, Sajid Khan and Noman Ali, put England on the back foot, reducing them to 24-3 by stumps on the second day of the series-deciding third Test in Rawalpindi. Saud Shakeel’s resilient century guided Pakistan to a commanding position, with a lead of 77 runs at the end of their first innings.
England, aiming to close the deficit, had no answer for Pakistan’s spinners on a pitch that increasingly favored turn. Sajid dismissed Ben Duckett for 12, while Noman removed Zak Crawley (2) and Ollie Pope (1) in a short span, leaving England vulnerable. By the time bad light halted play with five overs remaining, Joe Root and Harry Brook were at the crease with five and three runs, respectively.
BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew, commenting on Test Match Special, observed the urgency with which England’s players exited the field, noting, “They can’t wait to get off the field… There’s a lot of pressure on England tomorrow.”
With England still needing 53 runs to avoid an innings defeat and only seven wickets in hand, the stakes are high with three days of play remaining. The series is currently tied at 1-1 after England won the first Test by an innings and 47 runs, and Pakistan leveled with a 152-run victory in the second Test in Multan.
Shakeel’s standout 134 provided the anchor for Pakistan’s innings, taking them from a shaky 177-7 to 344 all out. Reflecting on his performance, Shakeel admitted, “We had an idea that this pitch would help spinners, so I prepared accordingly,” calling it one of his best innings.
Leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed emerged as England’s top bowler, taking 4-66, while off-spinner Shoaib Bashir ended with figures of 3-129. Shakeel’s efforts, alongside an 88-run partnership with Noman, who scored a valuable 45, helped Pakistan build a sizable lead. Noman’s knock ended just before tea, courtesy of Bashir, and Shakeel continued his resistance, adding 72 for the ninth wicket with Sajid, who posted a career-best 48 not out.
Shakeel’s innings eventually concluded when he miscued a pull off pacer Gus Atkinson, and Ahmed removed the final wicket, dismissing Zahid Mahmood for zero. England seemed to have the upper hand earlier in the day when Ahmed took three quick wickets, leaving Pakistan at 187-7 at lunch. However, the Shakeel-Noman partnership turned the tables, building frustration for the English bowlers.
Shakeel’s composure helped him reach his fourth Test century, achieved through disciplined shot selection. Noman complemented Shakeel with a few aggressive shots, including a six and two boundaries, adding 80 runs during the second session.
Although Rehan managed to dismiss Mohammad Rizwan (25), Salman Agha (1), and Aamer Jamal (14), England’s frontline spinners, Jack Leach and Bashir, struggled to extract the same turn as Sajid, who had taken 6-128 on the previous day. Pakistan began the day at 73-3, aiming to set a formidable lead to clinch their first home Test series victory since defeating South Africa in February 2021.
