Pakistan is closing in on pulling off a miracle in Multan, slowly edging towards a record Test victory as England’s bowlers continue to fight on a lifeless wicket.
Saud Shakeel and Imam-ul-Haq hit fighting half-centuries on Sunday to foil England’s pace attack and set up an exciting finish to the second Test at Multan Cricket Stadium.
Set a challenging 355 runs for victory, Pakistan was 5-258 just after England had taken the new ball, requiring just 97 more runs. Shakeel was still at the crease and closing in on a century, with Mohammad Nawaz beginning to find his rhythm.
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“Game on here,” former England captain Nasser Hussain said in commentary.
Pakistan ended the third day at 4-198 with two full days remaining.
With reverse swing helping the fast bowlers, England derailed Pakistan’s start of 66 without loss with three wickets for just 17 runs.
But Haq (60) and Shakeel (54 not out) led a remarkable 156-minute fightback during their stand of 108 for the fourth wicket before Jack Leach had the former caught at slip three overs before stumps.
Haq, who came in at number five instead of opening the innings following hamstring treatment, hit seven boundaries.
Pakistan all-rounder Faheem Ashraf, promoted to number six, was three not out as Pakistan chased a series-levelling win after losing the first of three Tests by 74 runs in Rawalpindi.
England assistant coach Marcus Trescothick said he thought Haq’s wicket shifted the balance in his team’s favour.
“I think it was a really important wicket because with the partnership they put together they were building to a nice place,” he said.
“Hopefully we put ourselves in a position to win the game.”
Still, Pakistan batting coach Mohammad Yousuf saw the balance at 50-50.
“Players are confident that they can win this match,” he said.
Should Pakistan reach the 355-run target, it’d be the country’s second-highest successful Test run chase ever and the most runs ever scored in a fourth innings to win a Test in Pakistan.
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Pakistan can take heart from the fact that their highest successful chase was 377 against Sri Lanka in Pallekele in 2015, and they beat the same opponents after being set 342 in Galle in July.
But no team has ever successfully chased more than 314 in Pakistan, a target reached by the home team against Australia in Karachi in 1994.
After Pakistan’s solid start, veteran pacer James Anderson bowled Mohammad Rizwan with the fifth ball after lunch for 30, before Ollie Robinson dismissed skipper Babar Azam for one.
Azam was left shell-shocked as he tried to leave a ball which came in sharply to hit the stumps.
It became 83-3 when Mark Wood bowled Abdullah Shafique for 45 with a ball that reverse-swung to hit the stump and beat a forward push.
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