Saud Shakeel’s courageous century has turned the tide of an undulating third Test in Rawalpindi in Pakistan’s favour, leaving the score tied at lunch on day two with the hosts still holding two of their first-innings wickets.

Shakeel held together an afternoon session of 80 runs, the most of which came in a crucial stand of 88 with Noman Ali, and is still undefeated at 107, his fourth career hundred. The lone wicket to fall, just before the half, was Noman, who had a fantastic speed of 45 and was no mug with the bat.
The analyst mentioned that Shakeel has only hit four boundaries in his 191 balls thus far in relation to his application. He reached 50 out of 92 deliveries with the final one, a solid sweep in front of the square. And it was fitting that he had the privilege of driving a comfortable single down the ground off the last ball before the interval, bringing Pakistan to 267 and nullifying England’s opening effort.
With legspinner Rehan Ahmed taking three of the four wickets to fall after the restart from 73 for 3, England had taken the lead going into the afternoon after reducing Pakistan to 187 for 7 over a lengthy opening session. This involved bowling Aamer Jamal with a drag on off a googly after trapping Mohammed Rizwan and Salman Agha leg before leg in nine deliveries.
After Shoaib Bashir removed captain Shan Masood, he got a leading edge through to Jamie Smith, who was unable to take a low catch. Although the bowler may have removed Shakeel on the 26th, Shakeel managed to bat through the morning. Due to its lack of bounce, the ball ultimately bounced off the wicketkeeper’s left shin, illustrating how impossible the opportunity was.
After lunch, still 80 runs down, Shakeel and the incredibly talented Noman tried to catch up with England’s opening innings. As the 20-year-old Rehan struggled to get the full length that had come so effortlessly in an outstanding eight-over period prior to the first break, the latter was the primary aggressor and clouted Rehan for six down the ground.
Ben Stokes chose not to start the session with the legspinner on, maybe due to the presence of two left-handers. He bowled all of his previous nine overs from the Pavilion End, but when he did bring Rehan back, it was from the Media.
The captain sent Joe Root on to bowl the 78th over, but when the left-hander was on 35, his first delivery spat out of the rough and took the shoulder of Noman’s bat, adding to the captain’s fury. Stokes got his fingertips on the ball diving to his left while fielding close in at first slip. Noman had already confirmed an inside-edge with DRS after correcting an LBW dismissal on 10. Umpire Sharfuddoula reversed the ruling for the third time in
Shakeel reached his first century against England and his second at this location with an easy single into the leg side in the next over.
Shakeel held the innings together with half-century partnerships from Masood and Rizwan after arriving to the crease at 46 for 3 on the twilight of the first day. The third, working with Noman, completely changed the course of England’s history. It was finally broken in the last over before tea when Bashir was able to skid the second new ball into the No. 9’s pads.
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