DOMINANT PAKISTAN SIX WICKETS FROM 2-0

on 58 along with first innings centurian Younus Khan, who was not out on 29 as the hosts stretched their overall lead to 455 at Sheikh Zayed Stadium.

The amount of time Pakistan gave themselves to take ten wickets indicated that they expected plenty of hard toil in excellent batting conditions. There was no swing available to the new-ball pair of Rahat Ali and Sohail Khan, and it took Misbah-ul-Haq only six overs to turn to spin from both ends.

There was not much help on offer for the spinners either, but Yasir Shah did not have to wait too long for his first wicket. Having faced only three balls from the legspinner, Leon Johnson tried to sweep him, and ended up dragging the ball onto his stumps, off the flap of his pad. The ball pitched outside leg stump, so Johnson may have felt the shot was on, but he was probably playing the shot Yasir wanted him to play, given all the fielders waiting around the bat for a top-edge or a bat-pad.

The same was the case when Darren Bravo chased away from his body to try and cut Rahat, back for a second spell, in the 19th over, while making no attempt to keep the ball down. He middled the ball, and it may well have rocketed to the boundary had he placed it a few feet either side of the fielder at point, but the choice of shot played right into Pakistan’s hands.

The hosts made 452 in their first innings, and managed to take a massive lead of 228 after dismissing the visiting side for mere 224 in reply on the third day of the second Test.

Pakistan lead the three-match series 1-0 after winning the first day-night Test in Asia by 56 runs in Dubai.