MULTAN – Pakistan have set 297 runs target for England after they managed to score 221 in their second innings of the second Test match of the series at Multan Cricket Stadium on Thursday.
Shan Masood-led side suffered early blows soon after starting the second inning when Opener Abdullah Shafique was removed for just 4 runs. England took another quick wicket of Shan Masood, who could score only 11 runs.
Kamran Ghulam, who showed fireworks in first innings on Day 1 with a century, found struggling on Day 3 as he was sent back to pavilion for 26 runs.
Saud Shakeel fell for 31 while Mohammad Rizwan was dismissed for 23. At this point Salman Ali Agha played a fine knock of 63 runs, helping his side to build a challenging lead against England.
England’s Shoaib Bashir claimed four-wicket haul, Jack Leach three wickets and Brydon Carse took two wickets.
Earlier in the day, in a stunning display of spin bowling, Sajid Khan shattered England’s batting order on Day 3 of the second Test, leading to their collapse at 291, 75 runs behind Pakistan’s first-innings total of 366. His fierce spell earned him 7 wickets for 111 runs, while teammate Noman Ali contributed with 3 wickets, wrapping up England’s innings in just 67.2 overs.
English batsmen struggled significantly against the spin, particularly in the latter stages of their innings, losing their final four wickets for just 43 runs. Jack Leach provided some resistance with a quick 25 runs, but it was not enough to halt the team’s downward spiral.
Khan’s relentless spell included key dismissals, with the final wicket being Shoaib Bashir for 9 runs.
As Pakistan heads into their second innings with a 75-run lead, they appear well-positioned to capitalize on their advantage and potentially take control of the series. With one wicket remaining for England, the pressure is firmly on the visitors as they look to recover from this devastating setback.
Sajid Khan’s remarkable performance has solidified his place as a key player in Pakistan’s bowling attack, setting the stage for an exciting conclusion to the match.
