Ben Stokes and Ben Duckett
PAK vs ENG, 3rd Test: The ongoing third and last Test match between England and Pakistan has reached its last stop. On the third day, thanks to the spin of Rehan Ahmed, the England team not only returned to the match but also came close to victory. Chasing Pakistan’s target of 167 runs, the England team has scored 112 runs losing two wickets at the end of the third day. Captain Ben Stokes (10) was present at the crease along with Ben Duckett (50) at stumps. Jack Crowley 41 while Rehan Ahmed was dismissed after scoring 10 runs. Abrar Ahmed got both the wickets. England now need just 55 runs to win the Karachi Test while Pakistan need 8 wickets to save the Test.
Pakistan lost 7 wickets in 52 runs
Coming close to their first 0-3 defeat at home, Pakistan lost their last seven wickets for 52 runs on the third day. During this, Rehan Ahmed made the batsmen dance a lot with his googly and leg spin. Rehan Ahmed also took the wickets of half-centuries Babar Azam (54) and Saud Shakeel (53). He broke the 110-run partnership for the fourth wicket between the two by sending captain Babar to the pavilion.
Pakistan trapped in Ahmed’s spin
During this, Babar became the fourth Test batsman to complete 1000 runs in the year 2022. After completing his half-century, he was caught by Ollie Pope near mid-wicket in an aggressive shot off the ball of Rehan Ahmed. Ahmed is the youngest player for England to make his Test debut at the age of 18 years and 126 days. He strengthened England’s grip on the match by dismissing Mohammad Rizwan (seven) and Shakeel in two consecutive overs after dismissing Babar. This was Shakeel’s fourth half-century in his Test series debut. After the break of this partnership, the team kept losing wickets at frequent intervals.
Azhar was out for zero in the last match
Pakistan had earlier started the day on 21 runs without loss. Openers Shan Masood (24) and Abdullah Shafiq (26) put on a half-century partnership to end England’s 50-run first innings lead. Leach bowled Masood and gave England the first breakthrough. Four balls later, he bowled Azhar Ali, playing his last Test, without opening the account. In the first ball of the next over, he trapped Shafiq lbw as Pakistan went from 53 for no loss to 54 for three. Former captain Azhar was given a farewell by England players after his dismissal, while Pakistan players gave him a ‘guard of honour’ near the boundary line. Azhar, 37, has played 97 Tests and announced his retirement before this match. After hitting three wickets, Babar and Shakeel fought the English bowlers for two hours and 45 minutes but their partnership was broken before the tea break.
Rehan created history
During the third day’s play, leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed dismissed Agha Salman and became the youngest bowler to take a five-wicket haul on Test debut. The 18-year-old Ahmed took five wickets for 48 runs in the second innings on the third day of the match here on Sunday, while veteran spinner Jack Leach took three wickets for 72 runs to reduce Pakistan’s second innings to 216 runs.
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