As day 3 of the first Test between Pakistan and England resumes, England are looking to build on their solid start from day 2, where they reached 96/1 at stumps. Zak Crawley, who smashed a quickfire 64, and Joe Root, standing firm with 32 runs, have set the tone for England’s response to Pakistan’s commanding total of 556.
Pakistan’s bowlers, led by Naseem Shah, managed an early breakthrough by dismissing England’s stand-in captain Ollie Pope for a duck. However, Crawley and Root countered the pressure, guiding England to 96/1 by the end of the second day. With a daunting 460 runs still to chase, England will look to rack up early runs on day 3 to avoid falling too far behind.
Pakistan, on the other hand, will be relying on their pace attack and spinners to make further inroads and continue their dominance. With Salman Ali Agha’s century leading Pakistan’s batting effort, and solid contributions from Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Afridi, the hosts are well-positioned. The pitch, however, is expected to offer more for the bowlers, making early wickets crucial for Pakistan’s ambitions. England’s batting depth will be tested as they try to reduce the deficit in this critical day of play.
This match is pivotal as it forms part of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship, adding pressure on both sides to perform in this three-match series.
