The Test series between England and Pakistan has been bizarre to say the least, with strange fields and the Poms putting up 506 runs and four tons in an extraordinary day one.
The latest quirk of this series though has seen England’s Joe Root decide to bat left-handed at one point, leaving Nasser Hussain stunned in commentary.
“That is remarkable what I have just seen,” Hussain said.
“Joe Root has not even bothered changing sides.”
Root was fortunate to not have been dismissed with the shot, which came in the 23rd over on the fourth day of the Test, dropped by Naseem Shah at midwicket.
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England raced to 264-7 at tea after spinner Will Jacks took six wickets on his debut to help the tourists gain the upper hand, eventually declaring with a lead of 342 runs.
Jacks grabbed 6-161 to help England dismiss Pakistan for 579 and put his side in a strong position.
Opener Ben Duckett — one of four century makers in England’s mammoth 657-run first innings — was caught at slip off the second ball of pacer Naseem Shah for a golden duck.
Fellow centurion Ollie Pope cracked two boundaries before hooking fast bowler Mohammad Ali into the hands of Naseem, scoring 15.
Zak Crawley was the next to fall but not before hitting a half-century, eventually dismissed after being caught by Mohammad Rizwan.
Having survived that earlier close call on the left-handed strike, Root then departed soon after when he was caught at short fine leg on a sweeping shot to go for 73.
Ben Stokes then also was dismissed immediately after picking out Saud Shakeel in the covers.
Root falls, Stokes fails as PAK hunt win | 00:45
Will Jacks hit a few handy boundaries before falling for 24 while there was no century for Harry Brook, although he finished with an impressive 87 from 65 after being cleaned up.
Earlier, debutant Jacks took all three wickets to fall after Pakistan resumed at 499-7 — but not before the host’s tail-enders scored freely on a much-maligned flat Rawalpindi Stadium pitch.
Agha Salman (53) and Zahid Mahmood (17) frustrated England for 50 minutes during their stubborn eighth-wicket stand of 57.
Speaking earlier in the day, Hussain gave an insight into just when England could declare.
“I was speaking to [England head coach] Brendon McCullum in the middle earlier and he believes the only way to win it is to dangle the carrot,” he said.
“If they bat on too long and Pakistan look at the run-rate required and shut up shop, if on this surface you’re blocking it…you’re not going to take 10 wickets – or it’s going to be very difficult.
“The best way of taking 10 wickets is by saying to Pakistan ‘go on then, you’ve got a chance here, we’re going to set you four an over, do you want to go for it?’.”
