England’s daring declaration sets up thrilling final day of Test action
England’s daring declaration set up a thrilling final day of the first Test in Rawalpindi, with Pakistan requiring 263 more runs to win with eight wickets remaining.
The tourists only set Pakistan 343 runs to win on a very flat deck,havingscored264runsin just 35.5 overs in their second innings at a run rate of more than 7.5, At the close, the hosts were 80-2.
England had stressed their desire to entertain and force a result before the start of the series and this was in evidence in the afternoon session on day four,astheyusedallthetricksto pile on runs as quickly as possible to give themselves the best chancetosecurewhatwouldbe onlyathirdtestwininpakistan.
The declaration has reduced the potential for a draw, with Ben Stokes continuing to be a bold captain in his approach to batting, fielding and decisionmaking.
The visitors’ attacking form carried on into the field, where they persevered with a shortball approach and claimed two wicketsfortheirefforts,despite Stokes being hit for successive foursinhisfirstdeliveriesofthe innings.
England made two early inroads, with Abdullah Shafique and Babar Azam falling victim to the short ball, althoughthehomesidecontinued to score quickly.
For the first wicket, Ollie Robinson successfully tempted Abdullah into a pull shot, only to pick out Harry Brook on the deep square leg boundary.
Azhar Ali was then forced to return to the dressing room,
retiring hurt following a blow to the top of his right index finger.itremainstobeseenwhetherthebatterwillrecoverintime to bat on the final day.
Despite scoring a masterful century in the first innings, Babar made just four runs before getting out caught behind off Stokes.
Stokes’sidealmosthadathird wicketinoneofthefinaloversof the day, but Saud Shakeel was dropped by Keaton Jennings at short leg on 22. He ended day
four on 24 not out, well supported by Imam-ul-haq who followed up a first-innings century with an unbeaten 43.
England’s unconventional batting approach was epitomised by Joe Root, who briefly switched to batting left-handed for two balls during his innings in an attempt to disrupt the bowler–butwasalmostcaught at conventional point-turnedsquare-leg before reverting to his usual stance.
Brookthenbroughtuphissec
ond half century of the game, and briefly threatened to break Gilbert Jessop’s 120-year-old record for the fastest-ever century – 76 balls – by an England player in Test matches.
The Yorkshireman was on 87 from 65 when he was bowled trying to score yet another boundary by Naseem Shah.
Zak Crawley also scored his second half-century of the match and Will Jacks added a useful quickfire 24 from 12 deliveries before being caught
at mid off trying to score a third successive six.
Inthemorningsession,debutant Will Jacks claimed a maiden Test five-for, finishing with 6-161, becoming the first England spin bowler to take a fivefor in the first innings of his debut since Peter Such in 1993.
Pakistan started the day on 499-7 and were also freescoring, but England took the remaining three wickets in the first 90 minutes of play at a cost of 80 runs.