Sajid Khan impressed with bat and ball to put Pakistan in firm control of the second Test against England as they look to end a winless streak on home soil stretching back to February 2021.
Sajid took seven for 111 as England were dismissed for 291 in their first innings, a deficit of 75, before the hosts made 221 second time round – Sajid making a belligerent 22 from number 10.
That left Ben Stokes’ side chasing 297 to win the match and take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the best-of-three series but they ended the day on 36 for two with both openers back in the pavilion.
Stumps on Day 3 ✅
We end the final session with Root (12) and Pope (21) still battling at the crease 🙌 pic.twitter.com/27lBq5w2do
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) October 17, 2024
England started the day on 239 for six but the match moved on quickly as the pitch finally started to take spin after resembling a road in the first Test last week, a match in which the tourists batted once and made 823 for seven declared.
There was never going to be a repeat of that when England lost a flurry of wickets late on day two and Sajid and fellow spinner Noman Ali met limited resistance as they ran through the tail on Thursday.
Sajid took three wickets to complete his seven-for with Noman snaring dangerman Jamie Smith for 21. Jack Leach and Shoaib Bashir added a useful 29 for the final wicket with the former ending with an unbeaten 25.
Leach and Bashir then worked in tandem with the ball to take a combined seven for 133, although England would be frustrated they couldn’t finish Pakistan off earlier.
That was due largely to the efforts of Salman Agha and Sajid. Salman bashed a superb 63 off 89 balls with Sajid happy to prop up the other end.
Having reduced Pakistan to 156 for eight, England would have been looking to polish off the tail and chase down a victory target around the 240 mark. As it was, the pair put on 65 for the ninth wicket to give the hosts room to manoeuvre.
It also gave Pakistan momentum which they carried over into England’s second innings.
First innings centurion Ben Duckett lasted just two balls before an ungainly sweep off Sajid saw him top edge to wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan. And England were soon in trouble at 11 for two, Zak Crawley skipping down the track to Noman, getting nowhere near the pitch of the ball and having his bails whipped off by Rizwan.
Ollie Pope (21 not out) and Joe Root (12no) saw England through to the close but they face an uphill task if they are close out the series before the third Test in Rawalpindi next week.
