Pakistan’s Bowling Attack Leave England Struggling on Day 2
Pakistan put on an outstanding display against England on the second day of the third Test match at Rawalpindi.
Pakistan took a commanding 77-run lead in the first innings because to the hard-working 134 of Saud Shakeel and the all-around efforts of Sajid Khan and Noman Ali. By the end of play, three of England’s top-order batsmen had been removed at 24 for 3, leaving them with a 53-run deficit and an uphill task.
Key Performances and Match Scorecard
England 267 (Smith 89, Duckett 52, Sajid 6-128) and 24 for 3 (Root 5*, Brook 3*) trail Pakistan 344 (Shakeel 134, Sajid 48*, Noman 45, Rehan 4-66) by 53 runs.
Match Analysis
This third Test between England and Pakistan has moved back and forth so much in just two days, which is unusual for a Test match. However, Saud Shakeel’s courageous century and Noman Ali and Sajid Khan’s combined skill took the hosts from the bottom to the summit of the Rawalpindi mountains. It may be the first home series victory since 2021.
Pakistan reached 344 thanks to Shakeel’s incredible 134 from 223 deliveries, his fourth in Test cricket, and a crucial 77-run advantage in the first innings. In the end, it was made possible by crucial lower-order support from Noman Ali (45) and Sajid Khan (48 not out) in stands of 88 and 72 before they returned to their main duties and once again dominated England’s top order, finishing at 24 for 3.
The tourists will be perplexed as to how the script has been so completely flipped onto them. When Shakeel showed up on Thursday night at 46 for 3, it looked impossible. Or when the hosts were reeling at 177 for 7, still 90 adrift, after Rehan Ahmed’s pre-lunch performance of 3 for 24 from eight overs. In his debut outing of the series, the legspinner took off No. 11 Zahid Mahmood first ball, finishing with figures of 4 for 66.
Shakeel returned overnight on 16 and delivered substance and old world style. During his vigil, he only managed five boundaries, the fourth of which was a solid sweep in front of the square, bringing his total to 50 from 92 deliveries. It took him 108 balls to get his fifth and last one. He had the honor of driving a comfortable single down the ground off the penultimate ball before tea, bringing Pakistan to 267 and nullifying England’s opening effort.
Being in all four of Pakistan’s half-century stands during their opening innings, he was also the unifying factor throughout. The collaborations with Noman and Sajid established a fresh objective, whereas the 53 and 54 with Shan Masood and Mohammed Rizwan, respectively, had been about rebuilding and consolidation. The latter launched a forceful onslaught with four sixes among six boundaries, including destroying off-spinner Shoaib Bashir as his penultimate over went for 19, while the former did his share to bring the score level.
Using a lengthy opening session, England had taken the lead going into lunch and had reduced Pakistan to 187 for 7, with Rehan taking three of the four wickets that fell after the restart from 73 for 3. This involved bowling Aamer Jamal with a drag on off a googly after trapping Rizwan and Salman Agha leg before leg in nine deliveries.
Although Bashir, who got rid of Shan Masood, should have eliminated Shakeel on the 26th when he found a leading edge through to Jamie Smith, who couldn’t claim a low catch. Due to its lack of bounce, the ball ultimately bounced off the wicketkeeper’s left shin, illustrating how impossible the opportunity was.
After lunch, still 80 runs down, Shakeel and the incredibly talented Noman tried to catch up with England’s opening innings. As the 20-year-old Rehan struggled to get the full length that had come so effortlessly in an outstanding eight-over spell prior to the first break, the latter was the primary aggressor and clouted Rehan for six down the ground.
Ben Stokes chose not to start the session with the leg-spinner on, maybe due to the presence of two left-handers. He bowled all of his previous nine overs from the Pavilion End, but when he did bring Rehan back, it was from the Media.
Joe Root was brought on to bowl the 78th over, but when the left-hander was on 35, his first delivery spit out of the rough and took the shoulder of Noman’s bat, adding to the captain’s fury. Stokes got his fingertips on the ball diving to his left while fielding close in at first slip. Noman had already confirmed an inside-edge with DRS after correcting an LBW dismissal on 10. Umpire Sharfuddoula overturned the ruling for the third time this innings.
Shakeel reached his first century against England and his second at this location with a comfortable single into the leg side in the next over. Aware that there was still a lot of work to be done, his colleagues and batting partner’s celebrations in the home dressing room were far more enthusiastic than his own.
Bashir got the second fresh ball to skid into the No. 9’s pads, ending Noman’s stay. At the beginning of the evening session, however, he was the target of Sajid’s acceleration, while Shakeel was more than pleased to deliver the blow to the moustachioed whirlwind. In an attempt to sweep Rehan over his shoulder, Sajid’s blade even delivered the blow to his chin that caused blood to pour over his shirt.
After failing to defend or draw a short delivery from Gus Atkinson to Matthew Potts, a sub-fielder at midwicket, Shakeel’s stay was ultimately capped at five hours and eight minutes. Stokes’ captaincy after lunch was further marred by the fact that Atkinson was not employed sooner, and it was strange that he did not go to his own seam when Pakistan’s bottom order was dominating the spin.
After Rehan’s brilliant googly into Mahmood’s stumps ended the innings, a 5.20 p.m. sunset indicated that England had little left to witness. However, there was still time for a three-wicket waterfall for only five runs in 28 deliveries.
Sajid trapped Ben Duckett LBW on the rear leg, the most aggressive player against spin, a ruling that required a DRS review. Ollie Pope completed a poor series with low hands offering a catch to slip, via a deflection from Rizwan’s gloves, for Noman’s second of the innings. Noman then trapped Crawley with an arm ball, the fourth time the left-armer has pocketed the opening in as many innings.
England has a 53-point deficit, but there is still optimism that Root and Harry Brook can turn things around on the third day. Together, these two scored 454 in the first Test match at Multan. However, as everyone who follows Pakistani cricket knows, a lot can change in just two weeks.
