Summary

  • Third Test, day two, Rawalpindi

  • Series level at 1-1

  • England close on 24-3, trailing Pakistan by 53, after Duckett, Crawley & Pope fall

  • Pakistan punish England after tea to take first-innings lead of 77

  • Hosts finally bowled out for 344: Shakeel 134, Sajid 48*, Noman 45; Ahmed 4-66

Live Reporting

by Matthew Henry & Sam Drury

  1. Steven Finn
    Former England fast bowler on BBC Test Match Special

    It will be interesting to see how Saud Shakeel plays after the tea interval.

  2. Right then, you can listen to that full Shoaib Akhtar interview by going back on TMS on BBC Sounds now.

    Our focus is back to the action in Rawalpindi and England have two wickets to take to wrap up Pakistan's first innings.

    Ousting Saud Shakeel has been a big issue. The left-hander has batted superbly for his unbeaten 107 (and counting).

  3. 'I would rather save the game than win Test matches'

    Shoaib AkhtarGetty Images

    Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, speaking to BBC Test Match Special...

    On used pitch for second Test: "Why can't we take our home advantages since we know our fast bowlers cannot bowl for 40 in a game?

    "What options are you left win? It's a spin track. So, OK make a spin track and start winning the games.

    "I think we are second from bottom in the rankings so what do we do from there? Take a selfish approach to make a spin track and win games to get our rankings right?

    "Or do we try to save the game? I would rather save the game than win Test matches.

    "I would rather play the game in a manner that can save Test cricket."

  4. Get Involved

    #bbccricket, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (standard network charges apply)

    Headed to the kitchen for a late breakfast after giving up on England forcing a break in play. Instant wicket. I've got 10 minutes more cooking time. You can thank me later.

    Tom, Stockport

    I fear the tea interval has come at the wrong time then, Tom.

  5. 'Process of dropping Babar was brutal'

    Babar AzamGetty Images

    Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, speaking to BBC Test Match Special...

    On Babar Azam being dropped: "I did not agree with the process of kicking Babar out of the team.

    "If you think that he is not good enough to be in the team then that's fine or you don't think he can win us a game, that's fine. But I didn't agree with the process.

    "Kick him out, take him out of the team after three Test matches. 'Son, you did not perform, go back there and do the basics. You're the star of the team but to be in the team you have to perform and win matches for us.'

    "That can be necessary for the good players to grow and think about who I am exactly, what needs to be done to be back in the team and performing to the highest level.

    "But the process of taking him out just like that was brutal. I didn't like it."

  6. Get Involved

    #bbccricket, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (standard network charges apply)

    Story of these Tests, and previous - undone by tailenders again. Is it a mental or technique issue??

    Ross

  7. 'We started playing a selfish kind of cricket'

    Shoaib AkhtarGetty Images

    Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, speaking to BBC Test Match Special...

    On fast bowling in Pakistan: "When we were growing up we watched Imran Khan, then Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis.

    "The only thing we knew at that time was that you had to bowl fast, regardless of the pitches, the ground, the weather, the country. Despite of all that, we just ran in. That kind was the attitude. To be honest with you, that attitude got corrupted after 2000.

    "When you don’t put the right people in the right jobs and you put the wrong mindset on the wrong jobs, this is exactly what happens. What you are seeing now did not happen overnight, it happened about two decades ago.

    "We started playing a selfish kind of cricket and used to have a defensive kind of mindset. I often complained to my captains about the pitches: ‘why are you making these pitches? They are so dead. There is no pace, there is no life.’

    "Now we don’t have bowlers who can bowl 150kph-plus – and I understand why with T20 cricket, too much travelling, too much swelling in the ankles and knees, they have to play in five leagues and they don’t have much time.

    "But most importantly they don’t have the inspiration nowadays, people to look up to. I believe there are no fast bowlers the Pakistan team can look up to and be inspired by. When they were young, these players only ever saw the defensive mindset.”

  8. Shoaib Akhtar on TMS

    BBC Test Match Special

    We've got a very interesting interview with former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar - of clocking 100mph fame, among much, much more - on Test Match Special during tea.

    You can listen to it now by clicking at the top of the page. We'll also bring you some of the best of his chat with Aatif Nawaz here.

  9. Thanks, Matt.

    It doesn't happen all that often but I'm in complete agreement with Mr Henry here.

    I reckon Pakistan will want a bit of a lead here to counteract batting last on this pitch.

    As it stands, it feels like we could be in for an exciting, tense finish to this series.

  10. For what it is worth WinViz says Pakistan are just slightly ahead.

    I would want a few more runs to make up for the difficulty of batting last if I was them but who am I to argue with the computer?

    I'll leave you with Sam Drury...

    WinViz gives Pakistan 54% chance of victory, England 45% and draw 1%CricViz

  11. Jonathan Agnew
    BBC cricket correspondent on Test Match Special

    It's all level.

    England have the pressure of the third innings where it can all go wrong but Pakistan have to bat last.

  12. Tea - Pak 267-8

    Scores level

    That over proves to be the final before tea as Sajid Khan gets off the mark. Another one to Saud Shakeel draws the scores exactly level as the players walk off.

    That's got to be Pakistan's session. The match couldn't be more finely-poised.

  13. Stephan Shemilt
    BBC Sport chief cricket writer in Rawalpindi

    We've seen across this match how difficult it is against the new ball and how much easier it is once it gets softer. Less turn, less unpredictable bounce. I wonder if England have taken note.

  14. That partnership was worth 88 and Pakistan are now just two runs behind as Sajid Khan emerges.

  15. Steven Finn
    Former England fast bowler on BBC Test Match Special

    You could just sense the bit of frustration from England.

    That partnership was crucial for Pakistan.

  16. Jonathan Agnew
    BBC cricket correspondent on Test Match Special

    It was a good effort from Noman Ali, well played.

    England desperately needed that.

  17. wicket

    WICKET

    Noman lbw b Bashir 46 (Pak 265-8)

    That one is out.

    Shoaib Bashir gets the wicket England desperately needed by trapping Noman Ali lbw. He roars in delight, swinging a fist like Tyson Fury in celebration.

    Noman is annoyed, having fallen on the brink of tea, but he gets a punch of the gloves from Saud Shakeel on the way off having played a crucial hand.

  18. Jonathan Agnew
    BBC cricket correspondent on Test Match Special

    England are getting desperate here, everything looks like a chance to them.

  19. Pak 265-7

    Another lbw shout is turned down and for a moment or two England consider a review. It's a good job they didn't because Saud Shakeel hit it and the ball hit his pad outside the line of off stump.

  20. Steven Finn
    Former England fast bowler on BBC Test Match Special

    Pakistan are creeping up with their very good show of lower order batting.

    England are on the ropes here actually. Ben Stokes hasn't changed too much. It's looked very un-Stokes like innings.