England staged a spirited comeback to leave Pakistan at 73 for three at the close of play on the opening day of the series-deciding third Test in Rawalpindi.
The day belonged to Pakistani spinner Sajid Khan, who claimed an impressive six wickets for 128 runs, putting the hosts in a commanding position.
Sajid’s remarkable performance was complemented by Noman Ali, who chipped in with three wickets for 88 runs. England initially struggled to establish a foothold, slumping to 110 for five at lunch.
However, a resilient innings from Jamie Smith, who scored 89, helped England reach a total of 267 before being bowled out.
At stumps, Pakistan captain Shan Masood and Saud Shakeel were both unbeaten on 16, with the team still trailing by 194 runs as the match hangs in the balance.
Highlights of day one
The dry and spin-friendly conditions at Rawalpindi led to a total of 13 wickets falling on the first day, with spinners claiming all but one. Following Sajid’s exploits, England’s spinners stepped up in the final session.
Shoaib Bashir dismissed Abdullah Shafique for 14 runs, while Jack Leach accounted for Saim Ayub, who scored 19. Gus Atkinson was the only fast bowler to find success, dismissing Kamran Ghulam for just three runs.
Smith’s innings were crucial in stabilising England’s batting line-up. His aggressive 119-ball knock included six towering sixes and five fours, helping England add 149 runs for their last four wickets. His dismissal came in the last over before tea, caught off a miscued slog against spinner Zahid Mahmood.
After the break, Sajid continued his excellent form by removing Rehan Ahmed for nine, completing his third five-wicket haul of his Test career, and later dismissing Leach for 16 runs. England’s captain Ben Stokes fell early in the session, caught by Sajid for 12 runs.
The morning session was dominated by Sajid and Noman, who bowled unchanged for 42 overs, taking advantage of the dry pitch that offered turn and low bounce right from the start. England won the toss and opted to bat, but faced immediate challenges from the Pakistan spin duo.
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Despite a promising start with an opening partnership of 56 runs, England quickly lost key wickets. Zak Crawley (29), Ollie Pope (3), and Joe Root (5) fell in quick succession, contributing to England’s middle-order collapse.
Noman claimed Crawley, while Sajid dismissed both Pope and Root leg-before-wicket. Duckett managed to score a half-century (52) before being trapped lbw by Noman.
The day concluded with Pakistan having a lot to ponder, as they prepare to face a daunting chase on day two.
Match Summary
Toss: England won and chose to bat first.
England Changes: Gus Atkinson and Rehan Ahmed replaced Brandon Carse and Mathew Potts.
Pakistan XI: Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood (captain), Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Aamir Jamal, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, and Zahid Mehmood.
England XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith (wk), Gus Atkinson, Rehan Ahmad, Jack Leach, and Shoaib Bashir.
