2nd Test: Salman Agha fifty guides Pakistan to set England 297 for win

MULTAN: Spinners Shoaib Bashir and Jack Leach shared seven wickets to bowl Pakistan out for 221 on the third day in Multan, setting England a target of 297 to win the second Test.

Bashir finished with 4-66 while Leach grabbed 3-67 but Pakistan were lifted from a precarious 134-5 by Salman Agha (63) and Sajid Khan (22) with a 65-run ninth-wicket stand.

The hosts made 366 in their first knock.

Brydon Carse ended Salman’s innings in 58th over, who also grabbed the key wicket of wicketkeeper-cum-batsman Mohammad Rizwan in 31st over.

Earlier, Green Shirts' off-spinner Sajid Khan bagged seven wickets as the hosts bowled out England for 291 in the first innings.

On a track where the ball turned sharply and shot-making was difficult, England off-spinner Shoaib Bashir then delivered three huge blows to keep England in the contest.

England captain Ben Stokes began with spin from both ends due to the nature of the pitch, putting in off-spinner Bashir with left-arm spinner Jack Leach.

Stokes stayed with spin even when Leach had to be rested, pressing part-time off-spinner Joe Root into service.

Bashir drew first blood when he had Pakistan opener Abdullah Shafique caught behind for four. England successfully reviewed the original not-out decision and replays confirmed the faintest of edges.

Bashir dismissed Shan Masood for 11 after the Pakistan captain tried to flick a ball only to offer an edge to Ollie Pope at second slip.

Saim looked comfortable before falling to the same Pope-Bashir combination in the final delivery before the lunch break.

Saud Shakeel (10*) and Mohammad Rizwan (0*) are currently on the crease after lunch with the score at 77-4 after Kamran was dismissed at 25.

England had earlier resumed on 239-6 and lost their remaining four wickets in the first hour to concede a first-innings lead of 75 to the hosts.

Left-arm spinner Noman Ali claimed the remaining three as England lost all 10 wickets to Pakistan's spin-heavy attack, which has Aamer Jamal as the lone seamer.

Playing XI

Pakistan: Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood (captain), Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Aamir Jamal, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan and Zahid Mehmood

England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith (wk), Brydon Carse, Matt Potts, Jack Leach and Shoaib Bashir