Pakistan skipper Babar Azam turned the seventh batter to smash a century on Saturday, on day three of a veritable runfest within the opening Test towards England in Rawalpindi, however the customer stays on the right track for a strong first innings lead.
After an English quartet hammered a whole lot on Friday, a trio of dwelling 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 gentle stopped play, with Pakistan nonetheless 158 behind England’s large first innings complete of 657.
England batter Joe Root advised Sky Sports 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 information continued to tumble on the placid pitch, nevertheless, with all 4 openers hitting a whole lot within the first innings of a Test 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 almost matched the 233-run opening stand Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett had cast for England.
After 65 overs of denying England a breakthrough, the Pakistan openers, nevertheless, fell in fast succession.
Abdullah turned Will Jacks’ (three for 132) first Test sufferer after making an attempt a lower shot and as an alternative deflecting the ball into Ollie Pope’s ready gloves.
Abdullah’s third Test 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 Test hundred – all three of which have come at Rawalpindi.
Azhar Ali (27) obtained 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 strong as normal. His England counterpart Ben Stokes tried to bounce him out on an unresponsive pitch and Babar had no drawback pulling him repeatedly.
He ultimately introduced up his eighth Test hundred and first towards England with a 4 off Stokes, making somewhat prayer earlier than resuming batting.
England claimed 4 wickets within the last session to keep up its higher hand.
Robinson dismissed Saud Shakeel (37) within the first over after Tea and Babar was the subsequent to go, fluffing a lower shot towards 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 shortage of Test matches performed there