Pakistan skipper Babar Azam grew to become the seventh batter to smash a century on Saturday, on day three of a veritable runfest within the opening Check in opposition to England in Rawalpindi, however the customer stays heading in the right direction for a stable first innings lead.
After an English quartet hammered a whole lot on Friday, a trio of house batters helped themselves to centuries to energy Pakistan to 499 for seven on day three.
Agha Salman was batting on 10 with Zahid Mahmood on one on the different finish when dangerous mild stopped play, with Pakistan nonetheless 158 behind England’s large first innings whole of 657.
England batter Joe Root informed Sky Sports activities afterwards, “A brilliant day. That last session, all the work we put in came to fruition. It was attritional. We had to be creative throughout the day and we got our rewards at the end,” he mentioned.
Batting data continued to tumble on the placid pitch, nonetheless, with all 4 openers hitting a whole lot within the first innings of a Check match for the primary time.
Resuming on 181 for no loss, openers Imam-ul-Haq (121) and Abdullah Shafique (114) duly introduced up their a whole lot earlier than England struck with its spinners.
Imam and Shafique’s 225-run collaboration practically matched the 233-run opening stand Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett had solid for England.
After 65 overs of denying England a breakthrough, the Pakistan openers, nonetheless, fell in fast succession.
Abdullah grew to become Will Jacks’ (three for 132) first Check sufferer after trying a reduce shot and as an alternative deflecting the ball into Ollie Pope’s ready gloves.
Abdullah’s third Check hundred included 13 fours and three sixes.
Jack Leach eliminated Imam by luring the left-hander into stepping out solely to search out Ollie Robinson at long-on.
Imam smashed 15 fours and two sixes in his third Check hundred – all three of which have come at Rawalpindi.
Azhar Ali (27) received an additional life on 20 when Crawley spilled him at leg-slip however couldn’t capitalise and fell lbw to Leach a short time later.
Babar was rock stable as traditional. His England counterpart Ben Stokes tried to bounce him out on an unresponsive pitch and Babar had no drawback pulling him repeatedly.
He finally introduced up his eighth Check hundred and first in opposition to England with a 4 off Stokes, making slightly prayer earlier than resuming batting.
England claimed 4 wickets within the closing session to keep up its higher hand.
Robinson dismissed Saud Shakeel (37) within the first over after Tea and Babar was the following to go, fluffing a reduce shot in opposition to Jacks. Babar’s 136 was studded with 19 fours and a six.
“We have three big wickets to take in the morning, then we will try and crash some around and get up to a reasonable total,” England’s Root mentioned.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja has described the state of the pitch at Rawalpindi as “embarrassing”, blaming it on the dearth of Check matches performed there
