For the first time in the series, Pakistan won not only a session but also the day. If we look at Day 3 in isolation, it was Pakistan’s day under the sun. Yes. in the match situation. England are still favourites, but Pakistan showed mettle yesterday. Led by Shan Masood and Babar Azam initially and then by debutant and young sensation Razaullah towards the end, Pakistan made England toil for their wickets and batted out a lot of overs for the first time to not only make England bat again but push the Test to Day 4. Azan Awais also played well and so did Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Abbas as well.
It was a hard toil for the England bowlers as they had to work hard on a decent surface to bat on. They stuck at it and managed to take 8 wickets in the end but not before conceded 397 runs in the day. The wickets were shared with Gus Atkinson picking up 3 wickets and others chipping in. England’s target in the fourth innings will be 130 runs and make no mistake, they will be the favourites to win, but Pakistan are making them toil and might create a few inroads in the chase as well.
Shan Masood & Azan Awais leads Pakistan’s fightback with half-centuries before the latter falls in an absorbing morning session
Shan Masood and Azan Awais came to resume proceedings for Pakistan while Jofra Archer had to complete his unfinished over from last night on Day 3. Archer completed his over without any drama. Ollie Robinson had the ball in hand from the other end and delivered a maiden. Archer continued as Masood got the first boundary of the morning session with a drive through extra covers for a boundary. Robinson continued and conceded 4 byes to the batting team as a gift.
Archer bowled a decent over. Robinson continued and kept things under check. Archer kept things under watch as well. Robinson delivered a maiden. For the first time in this innings, Josh Tongue came into the attack next. Masood took the attack to Tongue as he first poked at the body to get an outside edge past Brook and into the third man fence for a boundary and then clipped it through square leg for another boundary. Robinson continued and bowled a decent over.
Tongue continued as Azan got into the act as he shuffled across and flicked it through square leg for a boundary. Azan then crunched the ball through covers for another boundary. Gus Atkinson returned to the attack and bowled a decent over. Tongue continued as Shan got another reprieve with substitute fielder Theo Wylie dropping an easy chance at backward point as the ball went away to the fence for a boundary to add to the woes of England. Atkinson continued as Masood looked to drive and got the outside edge that flew past backward point for a boundary.
Soon, Shan brought up his fifty in 81 balls as the 100 came up for Pakistan in 25.3 overs and of the partnership as well between the duo. Tongue continued as Azan shuffled across and pulled it past short midwicket for a boundary. Pakistan reached 107/2 in 27 overs when we paused for the Drinks Break in the morning session. Atkinson continued after the break as Azan reached his fifty in 78 balls, his first fifty in England. Tongue continued as Azan punched the ball with an open bat face past diving backward point for a boundary.
Atkinson continued as Azan guided the ball past Gay at gully region for a triple. Masood then crunched the ball past backward point for a boundary. Spin was introduced next as Daniel Lawrence came into the attack for the first time in this innings. Quite against the run of play, Lawrence broke the partnership as he dismissed Azan for 59 off 84 balls with 10 fours to his name caught down the leg side by makeshift keeper Jordan Cox thanks to great use of DRS by captain Joe Root to overturn the NOT OUT call. Captain Babar Azam came out to bat next and got off the mark as well straightaway.
Tongue continued as Babar clipped the ball through midwicket region for a boundary. Shan managed to get a triple with a clip past mid-on. Jofra Archer returned to the attack as Masood shuffled across and pulled it to deep backward square leg for a boundary. Shan again shuffled across and crunched the pull through deep midwicket region for a boundary. Tongue continued as Babar shuffled across and clipped it past the keeper for a boundary as the 150 came up for Pakistan in 33.2 overs.
Archer continued as Masood shuffled across and pulled it away past deep backward square leg for a boundary. Runs were flowing now as Tongue continued with Babar clipped the ball through square leg for a boundary. Robinson returned to the attack and conceded 4 leg byes to the batting side. Tongue continued as Babar leaned into the ball with a straight drive past the bowler for a boundary. Robinson continued as Masood pushed the ball past gully for a triple. Robinson overstepped twice in that over as well.
Harry Brook was given the ball to bowl the last over before Lunch. Babar leaned into the ball and drilled the square drive past point for a boundary. Pakistan reached 184/3 in 40 overs with Shan unbeaten on 83 off 123 balls and Babar with him unbeaten on 26 off 31 balls. Pakistan were still 136 runs behind with 7 wickets in hand at Lunch on Day 3 as the players walked off for the interval.
Shan Masood & Babar Azam falls after classy half-centuries as Pakistan continue their resistance in the afternoon session
Shan Masood and Babar Azam resumed proceedings for Pakistan after Lunch while Ollie Robinson had the ball in hand for England. Robinson conceded 4 byes as a gift to the batting side. Gus Atkinson had the ball in hand from the other end. He bowled a decent over. Robinson continued as Babar drove the ball past mid-off for a triple. Atkinson continued and bowled a decent over. Robinson continued and overstepped as the 200 came up for Pakistan in 44.3 overs for the first time in this series. Atkinson continued and delivered a maiden over.
Robinson continued as Masood pushed the ball away from the body to get the outside edge and flew between slip and gully for a boundary. Atkinson continued as Babar hung back and pushed away from the body past gully for a boundary. Robinson continued and bowled a miserly over. Atkinson continued and once again against the run of play, he dismissed Shan for 95 off 148 balls with 12 fours to his name as the outside edge found Daniel Lawrence who pulled off a one-handed stunner inches from the ground.
Saud Shakeel came out to bat next and guided it down to deep point for a triple to get off the mark. Babar was in the mood as he punched the ball past mid-on down the ground for a boundary as the deficit went below 100 runs. Robinson delivered a maiden over. Atkinson continued as Babar was squared up but played the ball late to guide it between second slip and gully for a boundary.
Tongue came back into the attack as Shakeel creamed the ball with a drive through covers for a boundary. Pakistan reached 223/4 in 53 overs as we paused for Drinks in the afternoon session. Atkinson continued as Babar completed his half-century in 76 balls, his 34th Test fifty. Tongue continued as Shakeel played the drive away from the body and placed it between covers and point for a boundary. Tongue gifted 4 byes to the batting side with wayward lines and lengths. Atkinson continued and bowled a decent over.
Tongue continued as the 250 came up for Pakistan in 56.2 overs. Archer returned to the attack as Babar got squared up and defended it and the ball went off the face of the bat between third slip and gully for a boundary. Tongue continued as Babar threw his hands at the short and wide ball as the ball went away to the deep point fence for a boundary. Archer continued and bowled a decent over. Tongue too bowled a miserly over.
Archer continued as Babar pulled him away past deep backward square leg for a boundary. Babar played the upper cut off Archer of a short ball and hit it to deep third man where substitute fielder Theo Wylie misjudged the ball and while trying to take the catch landed on the cushions as a maximum was given. Tongue continued and got rid of Pakistan captain Babar Azam for 76 off 103 balls with 11 fours and one six to his name as he looked to pull and got a top edge down the leg side to keeper Cox who made no mistake.
Keeper batter and debutant Ghazi Ghori came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway. Archer continued as Shakeel pulled it away over Root at square leg for a boundary to complete 2000 runs in Test cricket. Ollie Robinson returned to the attack and gifted 4 byes to the batting side as a gift yet again. Archer continued and bowled a decent over. Robinson continued to bowl the last over before Tea. He bowled a decent over. Pakistan were 297/5 with Shakeel unbeaten on 29 off 56 balls alongside Ghori unbeaten on 6 off 10 balls. Pakistan trailed by 23 runs with 5 wickets in hand as players went off for Tea on Day 3.
Razaullah & Mohammad Abbas flattens England even as hosts chip away at the wickets to eventually bowl Pakistan out for 449 in entertaining last session
Saud Shakeel and Ghazi Ghori came out to resume proceedings for Pakistan after Tea while Jofra Archer had the ball in hand for England. Ghori took on the short ball and pulled it over Brook at backward square leg for a boundary as the 300 came up for Pakistan in 67.3 overs. Gus Atkinson had the ball in hand from the other end. Ghori rode the bounce and steered it past gully for a boundary. Archer continued and broke through with a brute of a short ball that caught Shakeel’s gloves and on way to Gay at short leg. Shakeel fell for 29 off 59 balls with 3 fours to his name.
Muhammad Imran Randhawa came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway. Atkinson continued and thought he had a wicket as Ghori was given OUT LBW. The batter reviewed and an inside edge was detected on replays. Randhawa survived a run out chance as well. Archer continued and delivered a maiden. Atkinson continued and struck for England as he removed Ghori for 16 off 27 balls with 2 fours to his name as the ball cut him in half.
Razaullah came out to bat next and got off the mark with a boundary past mid-off. Archer continued and overstepped as well. Atkinson continued and dismissed Imran for 4 off 24 balls with a nick through to the keeper as Pakistan were 318/8 at this stage trailing by 2 runs with 2 wickets in hand. Mohammad Abbas came out to bat next. Tongue came back into the attack as Razaullah decided to take it on with a pull over deep backward square leg for the maximum to take Pakistan into the lead.
Atkinson continued and bowled a maiden. Tongue continued as Abbas got into the act as he hung deep and hit it over mid-on for a boundary. Atkinson continued as Razaullah took it on by backing away to clear the front leg and sent it over deep midwicket for the maximum. Razaullah then swung it down the ground over long-on for a mighty hit for maximum. He was on a roll as he flat batted it over wide long-on for the maximum. Tongue continued and bowled a decent over.
Daniel Lawrence came back into the attack as the 350 came up for Pakistan in 80.5 overs. The second new ball was taken with Tongue back into the attack as 4 leg byes were given as a gift to the batting side. Pakistan were 354/8 in 82 overs with a lead of 34 runs with 2 wickets in hand when we paused for the final Drinks Break of the day in the evening session. Lawrence continued after the break as Abbas showed innovation with a reverse sweep past backward point for a boundary.
Tongue continued as Abbas pushed at the ball and the outside edge flew over the slips for a boundary. Robinson continued as Razaullah hung back and punched it off the back foot past mid-off for a boundary. Abbas joined in the six-hitting party as he cleared his front leg and swung across the line to clear deep midwicket for the maximum. Archer came back into the attack as Razaullah carved it away by slicing it through extra covers for a boundary. Robinson continued as Abbas flat batted the ball down the ground for a boundary.
Archer continued as Razaullah took him by backing away and flat batting it over long-off for the maximum as he brought up his maiden fifty in 43 balls. He was not done yet as he cleared his front leg and swung for the heavens to nail it down the ground over the maximum as the 400 came up for Pakistan in 87.5 overs. Gus Atkinson came back into the attack and he bowled a decent over. Archer continued as Razaullah took him on and flat batted it over wide long-on for the maximum. Then he cleared his front leg and got it over Root at mid-off for a boundary.
Atkinson continued as Abbas joined in as well to back away and flat bat it away over long-on for the maximum as the 100-run stand came up between the duo. Razaullah then backed away and hit Atkinson over deep extra cover for the maximum. Archer continued as Abbas creamed the ball through the covers for a boundary. Atkinson bowled another tight over. Tongue continued and kept it relatively tight. Daniel Lawrence returned to the attack as England burnt a DRS against Abbas for LBW.
Tongue finally broke the 121-run 9th wicket stand as he dismissed Abbas for 42 off 67 balls with 5 fours and 2 sixes to his name as the batter hit it to Atkinson at backward point who took a good catch. Mohammad Ali came out to bat next and got off the mark with a boundary by backing away and clipped it over deep midwicket region. Lawrence continued as Razaullah took him on by skipping down the track and swing it away over deep midwicket for the maximum. Lawrence thought he has Razaullah LBW as the finger was raised. The batter reviewed and got the decision overturned in his favour.
Lawrence eventually got his man next ball as he dismissed Razaullah for 81 off 63 balls with 4 fours and 9 sixes to his name stumped as he was going big and perished for the cause. Ali remained unbeaten on 4 off 5 balls with one four to his name as Pakistan were bowled out for 449 in 96.4 overs. 43 extras conceded by England as well.
It was a hard toil for the English bowlers as they had to earn their wickets this time around. Gus Atkinson finished with 3/109 in 24 overs. Ollie Robinson finished with 2/54 in 23 overs. Josh Tongue finished with 2/106 in 22 overs. Daniel Lawrence finished with 2/17 in 4.4 overs. Jofra Archer finished with 1/120 in 22 overs. Harry Brook bowled an over for 4 runs. England will now need 130 runs in the fourth innings to win the match and series 3-0.
What Lies Ahead on Day 4
The scheduled penultimate day of the series could well be the last day barring major weather interruptions due to rain. England need 130 runs to win and with no real demons in the pitch, the hosts will still be favourites to clinch the match and series 3-0. But they have had to do it the hard way and work hard for it unlike the first two Test matches. Pakistan, on the other hand, will be buoyant after this batting display and take it into their bowling innings.
They would like to make inroads and make England sweat for these 130 runs. If they get early wickets, we could be in for a thrilling finish. The overhead conditions will matter. If it’s bright and sunny, then England should win it easily while cloudy conditions could give Pakistan hope. Day 3 was full of action. Let’s see what Day 4 which could be short due to the nature of the target, has in-store for all of us in Edgbaston, Birmingham.
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