Sajid Khan was grit personified for Pakistan towards England within the third Take a look at in Rawalpindi on Friday. Coming to bat at No. 10, Sajid Khan scored an important 48 off 48 balls with the assistance of 4 sixes and two fours. He was even hit on the face when he top-edged one which hit his chin off the bowling of Rehan Ahmed. Undeterred Sajid continued to bat with blood stains on his shirt and performed one of many bravest innings that Pakistan cricket crew has seen in current occasions. His effort was appreciated by all.
That is what Shoaib Akhtar stated we had been lacking from this crew for years. We had been lacking jigra and fervour for the star on our chest. Sajid Khan has satisfied me that magic is feasible, what a participant. A real fighter. pic.twitter.com/wGI7scpgxn
— Moosaa (@moosahmed03) October 25, 2024
Raining s in Rawalpindi
Sajid Khan smashing it with disdain #PAKvENG | #TestAtHome pic.twitter.com/SIOnkEOfwB
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) October 25, 2024
Spinners Sajid Khan and Noman Ali left England reeling at 24-3 after Saud Shakeel’s preventing hundred put Pakistan accountable for the series-deciding third Take a look at in Rawalpindi on Friday. England got here in seeking to erase a deficit of 77 however had no solutions for the Pakistan spinners on a turning pitch. Sajid dismissed Ben Duckett for 12 and Noman Ali eliminated Zak Crawley (two) and Ollie Pope (one) within the house of 5 runs.
When unhealthy mild ended the second day’s play with 5 overs remaining, Joe Root and Harry Brook had been on the crease on 5 and three respectively. England nonetheless want 53 runs to keep away from an innings defeat with seven wickets in hand and three days left to play.
The sequence is tied at 1-1 after England gained the primary Take a look at by an innings and 47 runs whereas Pakistan took the second by 152 runs, each in Multan. On one other day dominated by spin, Shakeel’s sensible 134 was the spotlight, pulling Pakistan inside touching distance of a primary residence Take a look at sequence win since they defeated South Africa in February 2021.
Shakeel anchored Pakistan’s innings, lifting them from a precarious 177-7 to 344 all out. “We had an concept that this pitch will assist spinners so with that in thoughts I ready myself,” stated Shakeel, admitting it was one in every of his finest knocks.
The left-hander held Pakistan’s innings along with a gritty knock unfold over 322 minutes and 223 balls, hitting simply 5 boundaries.
“100 is 100 and it is the perfect feeling and now we’re in the perfect stage of the match.” However leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed, who was the choose of the England bowlers, stated his crew had loads of struggle left.
“I believe we’re nonetheless fairly constructive with a lot batting to return so we’re nonetheless very constructive within the altering room come tomorrow,” he stated.
Ahmed took 4-66 whereas off-spinner Shoaib Bashir completed with 3-129.
Defiant Shakeel
The 29-year-old Shakeel defied England with an eighth wicket stand of 88 alongside Noman who made 45 earlier than falling within the remaining over forward of the tea break to spinner Bashir.
Shakeel added one other 72 for the ninth wicket with Sajid who scored an unbeaten career-best 48. Shakeel was lastly caught off a miscued pull off pacer Gus Atkinson whereas Ahmed dismissed the final man Zahid Mahmood for nought.
The guests seemed to be in management when younger spinner Ahmed bagged three fast wickets to go away Pakistan teetering on the finish of the primary session. England had been eyeing a lead after Ahmed’s burst left Pakistan on 187-7 at lunch however the Shakeel-Noman stand turned these expectations into frustration.
Shakeel batted with composure and reached his fourth Take a look at hundred with a single off Rehan in a resistance-packed innings. Noman — surviving a leg-before choice on assessment and a dropped catch off Root — assisted Shakeel admirably, hitting a six and two fours because the duo helped Pakistan add 80 within the second session.
Rehan despatched Mohammad Rizwan (25), Salman Agha (one) and Aamer Jamal (14) again to the pavilion and threatened to derail Pakistan. England’s frontline spinners Jack Leach and Bashir couldn’t extract the identical sharp flip from the pitch as rival Sajid Khan, who took 6-128 on Thursday.
Pakistan resumed the day at 73-3 searching for a sizeable result in press for a sequence win. However Shakeel was the one prime=order batter in a position to construct a significant innings after reaching double figures.
With AFP inputs
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