A gripping second day in Rawalpindi saw Pakistan seize the initiative in the deciding Test, as Saud Shakeel continued to bat with distinction, striking a 134-run explosion down the closing stages of the day, and taking certain late-session wickets that have pushed England into further disarray. Shakeel’s sedate century, replete with valuable lower-order inputs from Noman Ali and Sajid Khan, pushed the Pakistani score to 344, thereby earning it an outright lead of 77 runs. THREE early breakthroughs did not, however, prevent further carnage on the second morning of this Test, as England, starting at 24-3, were left reeling to be eventually all out for 326 after only two hours and 50 minutes into the third day of this Test.
Resilience, meanwhile, arrived in the form of Shakeel, who was until the following day, Pakistan’s rock, limiting the damage when England opted to launch a mighty counterattack. Rehan Ahmed’s morning spell tore through the middle order, reducing Pakistan to 177-7. However, Shakeel, joining forces with Noman Ali, staged a revival, scoring 88 all-important runs for the eighth wicket. Noman showed much grit with his 45, allowing Pakistan to regain the upper hand over the afternoon session, wearing the England bowlers down as well as their equivalent Rawalpindi pitch.
The gambler’s do-or-die approach was long forgotten as Shakeel demonstrated his methodical approach – handling spin with aplomb, underlining his preference for rotating the strike over aggressive shot-making. By the time he reached his century—his fourth in Test cricket—Pakistan had not only surpassed England’s 267 but placed themselves in a commanding position. Shakeel’s partnerships with Noman and later Sajid Khan, who chipped in with an energetic, unbeaten 48, stretched the lead and pushed England onto the back foot.
Noman and Sajid Unleash Spin to Pressure England As the sun dipped below the horizon, the Pakistan spin duo of Noman and Sajid stepped forward to further heap misery on England. The visitors began their second innings at a time when light was well and truly fading and Noman made no mistake in sending lbw Ben Duckett back before snaring Zak Crawley with a ball that slid into his front pad. Things just went from bad to worse for England as they lost Ollie Pope just before the close. This late spell from Pakistan’s spin duo exposed a weakness England has been worrying about on a track beginning to offer more turn and bounce.
England’s Problems with Lower-Order Partnerships For England, the day laid bare an all-too-familiar issue: the inability to properly clear up the tail. Under captain Ben Stokes, England has conceded more runs to the lower-order batsmen than any Test team, an Achilles’ heel that again proved costly. Pakistan added 167 for their last three wickets, thanks to the dauntless resistance from Noman and the explosive cameo by Sajid. Shakeel’s composed knock—you would say he was inspired of the purest kind, like an Englishman Graham Thorpe of late—rode on the lines and exploited gaps in England’s field placements, a tactical goof by Stokes, which made it a substantial one.
With a combination of tempo and revs, England’s bowlers could not seize control. Here, Stokes did not bowl himself; that also raised many eyebrows. Stokes still used Rehan Ahmed and his pacers more to put pressure on the game, and they could not barter early stints into securing the game with Pakistan’s tail end. Later, England spinner Rehan Ahmed said “Momentum is with them at the moment” as he agreed with the challenge his team is facing.
Pakistan does strongly going into Day Three As the play resumes tomorrow, England is tasked with recovering from its first-innings slump and then surmounting the lead that is presented by Pakistan. Top-order batsmen Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, and Ollie Pope have already fallen back to the pavilion; the responsibility will be well and truly on Joe Root and Harry Brook to steady the innings. England would look not to repeat the first-day collapse and try to build a lead against Pakistan, but the home team will capitalize on the deteriorating conditions with their spinners.
Shakeel’s great innings not only tilted the match but also demonstrated the value of patience and precision in Test cricket. If Pakistan can take home the advantage and win the series, this 134 by Shakeel will be regarded as a turning point. However, England will need a spirited reply coupled with support from its lower order if it hopes to stay in the race.
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