England rattle Pak at 73/3 after Sajid with 6 wkts dismissed Eng for 259

 


England mounted a strong response to reduce Pakistan to 73-3 by the end of the first day of the series-deciding third Test in Rawalpindi on Thursday. Pakistan's spinner, Sajid Khan, was the standout performer, taking six wickets.


Sajid ended with figures of 6-128, while Noman Ali contributed with 3-88. Their efforts came after Jamie Smith's resilient innings of 89 helped England post 267, despite an early struggle that left them at 110-5 by lunch. At stumps, Pakistan’s captain Shan Masood and Saud Shakeel were both unbeaten on 16, leaving Pakistan trailing by 194 runs with the game finely poised.


On a dry, spin-friendly Rawalpindi pitch, 13 wickets fell on the first day, all but one claimed by spinners. Following Pakistan’s bowling success, England’s spin attack also made an impact. Shoaib Bashir dismissed Abdullah Shafique for 14, and Jack Leach removed Saim Ayub for 19. Gus Atkinson was the only fast bowler to take a wicket, dismissing Kamran Ghulam clean bowled  for three.


Jamie Smith played a pivotal role for England, guiding his team to a more respectable total. He struck six massive sixes and five boundaries in his imperious 119-ball innings, before being caught off a mistimed shot against spinner Zahid Mahmood just before tea. After the break, Sajid claimed Rehan Ahmed’s wicket for nine, marking his third five-wicket haul in Tests, and later dismissed Jack Leach for 16.


Earlier in the day, England lost captain Ben Stokes in the third over after lunch, caught by Sajid for 12. Smith and Atkinson (39) then combined for a crucial seventh-wicket partnership, adding 105 runs.


Sajid and Noman had controlled the morning session, bowling 42 consecutive overs after England won the toss and elected to bat. Pakistan surprisingly opted to open with their spinners on a pitch that offered turn and uneven bounce from the outset—a rarity in Test cricket. Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett made a confident start, reaching 56 before a collapse saw Crawley (29), Ollie Pope (3), and Joe Root (5) dismissed within a span of 24 runs.


Noman removed Crawley with a mistimed drive, while Sajid trapped Pope and Root leg before wicket. Duckett, who managed to complete a half-century off 76 balls, fell to Noman for 52, having hit four boundaries and a six. Harry Brook, who scored a triple century in the first Test, lasted just 14 balls, bowled behind his legs by Sajid for five while attempting a sweep shot.


With the match delicately poised , the day 2 of the 3rd test could well decide the winner of this 3 test series .


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