Summary Misbah is still not out at 87 while Younis batting at 71 after the innings steadied by Hafeez
DUBAI: (Dunya News, Web Desk, AFP) – As skipper Misbah ul-Haq and Younis Khan steadied a struggling Pakistan on Day-3, the team piled on 222 for the loss of 3 wickets in the 2nd innings and extended their lead to 358 runs. Misbah is still not out with 87 runs while Younis Khan is batting on 71, reported Dunya News.
Early in the innings, Shan Masood was taken out by James Anderson yet again on a ball leaving the left-handed batsman who edged it to the keeper and was gone for 1. Hafeez was then joined by Shoaib Malik who seemed to be in some kind of haste during his brief stay at the wicket. Going hard at the bowlers, Shoaib Malik survived only 13 balls on the crease. Missing out on a tempting delivery on the first ball of Wood’s over, Malik struck one over his shoulder for the boundary over the point on the next. However, on the fourth ball of the over, Malik went hard on the ball again and played it on.
With Malik and Shan gone, Hafeez and Younis took it upon them to steady the innings. Hafeez did well for his 51 but was gone on the very first ball after scoring his fifty, edging one to the first slip where Joe Root made no mistake.
When the skipper joined Younis in the middle, Pakistan were 83 for 3 and a collapse was very much on the cards if these two didn’t fire. But since they hardly ever miss, Younis Khan went on to score a typical Younis Khan innings, making 71* and reaching 9000 overall Test runs in the course. He became the first Pakistani to score 9000 Test runs and only the 14th cricketer worldwide to achieve the milestone. Misbah was rock solid, as usual, on the other side of the pitch. He batted brilliantly for his 87 and is still at the crease. The lead has now been extended to a comfortable 358 for 3 and with 2 days still left in the match, the game is poised for a result; most probably in Pakistan’s favor.
Earlier: Riaz, Shah spark England collapse in second Pakistan Test
Riaz, who had a morning spell of nine overs for 3-15, finished with 4-66 and Shah grabbed 4-93 as England were bowled out for 242 after resuming the day on a well-placed 182-3.
Pakistan had made 378 in their first innings.
Riaz initiated the collapse in which England lost their seven remaining wickets for 60 runs as he bowled with venom and guile to dismiss a dangerous looking Joe Root (88), Ben Stokes (four) and Jos Butler (nought) in an incisive spell.
Shah dismissed Adil Rashid (nought) and Jonny Bairstow in one over and Mark Wood (one) while fast bowler Imran Khan had James Anderson (four) to finish with 2-33.
England had hoped their batting would rally around the fast-rising Root who added two boundaries off Shah in the fourth over of the day to his overnight score of 76.
But Riaz found the edge of Root s bat with a sharp outswinger to give Pakistan the much-needed breakthrough. Root smashed 12 boundaries during his 141-ball knock.
Bairstow survived some close calls and was surprisingly given not out by television umpire Chris Gaffaney of New Zealand when replays showed Younis Khan had taken the edge off Shah in the first slip.
Bairstow, then on 40, managed six more before Shah trapped him in front of the wicket, leaving England reeling at 223-8.
In between, Riaz had Stokes and Butler caught behind in successive overs.
The first of three Tests ended in a draw in Abu Dhabi last week.
