England’s hopes of forcing victory over Pakistan in the first Test were boosted by late wickets on day three after they had been largely stalled by Babar Azam’s eighth Test century and the flat Rawalpindi pitch.
Pakistan closed on 499-7 to trail by 158 in reply to England’s monster 657 all out, with Babar (136) out to Will Jacks having followed openers Imam-ul-Haq (121) and Abdullah Shafique (114) in posting a ton.
Mohammad Rizwan (29) and Naseem Shah (15) also departed in the closing stages of the day as James Anderson claimed his maiden Test wicket in Pakistan and Jacks his third on debut, but England still have their work cut out to push for a win with the deck showing few signs of breaking up and batting fairly routine.
Ben Stokes’ tourists had been lifted earlier on by three wickets in the morning session – including a first in Tests for off-spinner Jacks – and when left-arm spinner Jack Leach pinned Azhar Ali (27) lbw with the second new ball close to lunch, Pakistan were 290-3 and still 367 runs in arrears.
Sunday 4th December 4:45am
Babar went on to share a fourth-wicket partnership of 123 with Saud Shakeel (37) as England endured a barren middle session and then added 60 from 75 balls with Rizwan to take Pakistan past the follow-on mark, not that Stokes may have enforced it anyway with his valiant bowling attack probably sapped.
Babar chopped Jacks to backward point around 40 minutes prior to stumps before Anderson, who was getting the ball to reverse, had Rizwan snared by Stokes at midwicket, and Naseem then hoicked Jacks to deep midwicket as three wickets fell for 24 runs.
More to follow…
