Pakistan vs England, 3rd Test Day 2: England build slender lead over Pakistan

England built a slender lead over Pakistan, on the second day of the 3^rdTest, in Karachi today and, at close of play, Pakistan trailed England by 29 runs, with Shan Masood and Abdullah Shafique the not out batters.

 

Match Summary

Pakistan vs England, 3rd Test, England tour of Pakistan

Pakistan 304/10 (79 ov) & 21/0 (9 ov)

England *354/10 (81.4 ov)

Day 2- Close of Play Pakistan trail England by 29 runs

SCORECARD

England's tailenders fire as they take a vital lead!#PAKvENG | #WTC23 | ??: https://t.co/y5SkcrfBY0 pic.twitter.com/Wb73AXBZQf

— ICC (@ICC) December 18, 2022

Match Report

Harry Brook continued his remarkable series to rebuild England's innings with a third century in as many Tests after Pakistan had the visitors pinned down on the second day of the final match in Karachi on Sunday.

England took an improbable 50-run lead on the back of Brook's innings before they were bowled out for 354 and Pakistan cut the deficit to 29 at the close of play.

Pakistan's openers Abdullah Shafique and Shan Masood were batting on 14 and three respectively as the home side ended the day on 21 for no loss.

Brook's 111 revived England's chances of becoming the first team ever to clinch a 3-0 series sweep in Pakistan after the visitors were teetering at 145-5. 

England lead the three-match series 2-0 after a 74-run win in Rawalpindi and a close-fought 26-run victory in Multan. 

After Pakistan's spinners knocked over the English top order, Brook and wicketkeeper Ben Foakes amassed 117 for the sixth wicket, and brought England within touching distance of Pakistan's first innings 304.

Brook drove spinner Abrar Ahmed for his eighth boundary to reach his third career hundred following up his 153 in the first Test and 108 in the next.

After the close of play, the 23-year-old Brook revealed he had set a goal of scoring two centuries during the tour. 

"I said to one of my mates I'd like to get two before I got here, so it feels very nice to go one better," said Brook, who played for Pakistan Super League winners Lahore this year.

On his crucial sixth wicket partnership, Brook said the key was staying at the crease. 

"Ben (Foakes) didn't look like he was going to get out. We just knocked it around for as long as we could. We were just trying to build a partnership."

In all Brook cracked eight fours and three sixes before he was trapped leg before to become debutant paceman Mohammad Wasim's first Test wicket.

Brook has now scored 468 runs -- beating David Gower's 449 in 1984 -- for the highest series total by an England batter in Pakistan.

He also equalled Mohammad Yousuf's record of three hundreds in successive matches in an overseas series. The Pakistani batter hit three centuries in England in 2006.

 

- Undone by spin -

 

Pakistan's spinners Nauman Ali and Abrar Ahmed had England in a tight spot after the first session. The pair claimed the first four English wickets and finished with 4-126 and 4-150 respectively.

England were struggling at 145-5 soon after lunch when Ben Stokes (26) attempted a third run which Brook turned down only to see his skipper stranded.

After Brook fell, Foakes added another 51 alongside Mark Wood for the eighth wicket.

Nauman then dismissed Foakes while Ahmed accounted for Wood and Ollie Robinson for 29.

The Pakistan spinner was optimistic about getting a win in the match despite England's recovery. 

"We still have a good chance because they have to play the fourth innings," said Nauman.

"If we give them a 200-250 target then we have a good chance because there will be turn and low bounce in the coming days."

In the morning session, Nauman removed Ben Duckett and Joe Root off successive deliveries.

With the National Stadium pitch offering turn, left-armer Nauman trapped Duckett (26) leg before and had the experienced Root caught low in the slip by Agha Salman for nought.

Pope stood firm amidst the dual wicket fall, reaching his 11th fifty before he was bowled for 51 by Ahmed, who added to the wicket he took on Saturday.

Highlights

Harry Brook 111, Ben Foakes 64 and Ollie Pope 51 batted England to a lead of 50 runs over Pakistan with the tail wagging too, putting on 89 for the last 3 wickets - Mark Wood 35 and Ollie Robinson 29 chipping in with useful runs.

Pakistan bowlers Abrar Ahmed and Nauman Ali both took 4 wickets apiece.

In reply, Pakistan reached 21/0 at the close, trailing by 29 runs, leaving the match evenly poised going into day 3 of the final Test.

Match Stats

Pakistan 1st Innings Fall of wickets: 1-18 (Abdullah Shafique - 5.2 ov), 2-46 (Shan Masood - 12.3 ov), 3-117 (Azhar Ali - 25.2 ov), 4-162 (Saud Shakeel - 41.6 ov), 5-196 (Mohammad Rizwan - 48.6 ov), 6-219 (Babar Azam - 58.6 ov), 7-237 (Faheem Ashraf - 66.3 ov), 8-285 (Nauman Ali - 74.5 ov), 9-300 (Agha Salman - 78.3 ov), 10-304 (Abrar Ahmed - 78.6 ov)

England 1st Innings Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Zak Crawley - 0.5 ov), 2-58 (Ben Duckett - 13.2 ov), 3-58 (Joe Root - 13.3 ov), 4-98 (Ollie Pope - 22.2 ov), 5-145 (Ben Stokes - 32.5 ov), 6-262 (Harry Brook - 64.2 ov), 7-265 (Rehan Ahmed - 65.2 ov), 8-316 (Mark Wood - 75.2 ov), 9-324 (Ben Foakes - 76.2 ov), 10-354 (Ollie Robinson - 81.4 ov)

Pakistan 2nd Innings Fall of wickets:

Playing XIs

Pakistan:  Abdullah Shafique,Shan Masood, Azhar Ali, Babar Azam (C), Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Agha Salman, Saud Shakeel, Faheem Ashraf, Nauman Ali, Mohammad Wasim, Abrar Ahmed

England: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Ben Stokes (C), Harry Brook, Ben Foakes (WK), Rehan Ahmed, Ollie Robinson, Mark Wood, Jack Leach

Match Details:

Date: Saturday, December 17, 2022 05:00

Venue: National Stadium, Karachi

Toss: Pakistan won the toss & elected to bat