England’s attacking batting line-up pummelled Pakistan yet again before skipper Ben Stokes’ aggressive declaration gave his side a real chance of forcing victory over Pakistan in the first Test.
Stokes declared at tea on day four, setting Pakistan 343 to win and giving his side four sessions to take 10 wickets after Harry Brook’s blistering 87 from just 65 balls had been the standout knock as England raced to 264-7 in only 35.5 overs in their second innings.
Pakistan subsequently closed on 80-2 needing a further 263 more runs, having lost first-innings centurions Abdullah Shafique (6) and skipper Babar Azam (4) amid England’s short-ball ploy and also seen Azhar Ali (0) leave the field hurt after taking a blow on the hand.
Sunday 4th December 4:40am
England now have a day to pick up eight wickets – perhaps seven depending on Azhar’s fitness – with the pace at which they have smoked their runs across this Test giving them a good amount of time and the fact Babar and Shafique are back in the shed, plus the length of Pakistan’s tail, handing them a great opportunity, even though the pitch in Rawalpindi remains placid.
Brook followed his breath-taking 153 from 116 balls in his team’s monster first innings of 657 all out with another scintillating knock on the docile deck, as for the second time in the game he had Gilbert Jessop’s England-record 76-ball Test century in his sights.
The Yorkshireman’s hopes of eclipsing that were dashed when he was bowled by Naseem Shah from the final ball of the second session, a dismissal that triggered the declaration and dangled the carrot for Pakistan to try and push for a 1-0 lead in the three-match series themselves.
The hosts refused to go into their shell despite losing Shafique and Babar to bouncers from Ollie Robinson and Stokes respectively and Azhar nursing that blow to the hand, with Imam-ul-Haq (43no) and Saud Shakeel (24no) adding an unbroken 55 from 88 balls – Shakeel dropped late in the day by sub fielder Keaton Jennings at short leg off the bowling of Jack Leach.
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Stokes had fellow captain Babar Azam caught behind by Ollie Pope for just four on day four of the first Test
