Pakistan ended the day at 61 for three in response to England’s first innings score of 267 on the opening day of Rawalpindi’s crucial third test match.
Gus Atkinson bowled Kamran Ghulam for just 3 runs off nine balls. Captain Shan Masood and Saud Shakeel were at the crease, facing challenges as Pakistan’s top order struggled.
Jack Leach dismissed opener Saim Ayub for 19 off 36 balls, and Abdullah Shafique was out for 14 off 27 balls, bowled by Shoaib Bashir.
Pakistan’s spinners excelled, with Sajid Khan taking six wickets, Noman Ali three, and Zahid Mahmood one, dominating the day at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Jamie Smith fell short of a century, scoring 91 off 119 balls, dismissed by Zahid Mahmood. Gus Atkinson’s 39 off 71 balls ended when Pakistan broke through, disrupting a forming partnership.
Pakistani bowlers shone, led by Sajid Khan, who took four wickets, supported by Noman Ali, who took three and Zahid Mahmood, who took one.
Ollie Pope, caught LBW by Sajid Khan after a review, made just three off 14 balls. Joe Root and Ben Duckett also fell LBW, scoring five off 6 and 52 off 84 balls, respectively.
Saim Ayub caught Zak Crawley off Noman Ali after scoring 43 off 29 balls.
This was England’s first toss win in eight Tests. Pakistan, unchanged for the match, saw England introduce Gus Atkinson and Rehan Ahmed.
After deciding to bat, Ben Stokes aimed for a significant first innings total to pressure Pakistan. With the series tied at 1-1, this match is decisive.
Despite not batting first, Pakistan’s captain Shan Masood remained optimistic about his team’s ability to exploit early spin and limit England’s batsmen.
