RAWALPINDI – Pakistan lost their three key batters for 73 after Sajid Khan and Noman Ali dismissed England for 267 on opening day of the series-deciding third Test at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Thursday.
England’s Shoaib Bashir removed Abdullah Shafique for 14 runs in a major breakthrough while Jack Leach served another blow by removing Saim Ayub for 16. Atkinson sent Kamran Ghulam to pavilion in a quick session for three.
Earlier, Pakistan’s spinners Sajid Khan and Noman Ali dismantled England’s batting lineup, leaving visitors in limbo at 267 on Day one.
After a solid start with 56-run partnership, England’s top order collapsed, with Noman claiming key wickets, including that of Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett. Duckett then played 52 runs knock before being dismissed.
After England lost wickets back-to-back, Jack Smith held the nerves to recover his side from pressure as he played a knock of 89 runs. He built seventh-wicket partnership of 105 runs with Atkinson, boosting the total for England.
Earlier, England won the toss and elected to bat first in the final Test against Pakistan.
As both teams prepare for this decisive match, the stakes are high, with the series hanging in the balance. Fans eagerly await the action as England aims to reclaim their dominance while Pakistan looks to continue their resurgence.
This match comes on the heels of Pakistan’s impressive victory in the second Test, where Shan Masood led squad defeated England by 152 runs, marking their first home win in nearly four years.
The second Test also ended Pakistan’s lengthy 11-Test winless streak at home, which had persisted since February 2021. In that match, England struggled in their second innings, crumbling to 144 all out while chasing a target of 297, losing eight wickets before lunch on the fourth day.
