Day 3 of the first Test between Pakistan and England commenced on Wednesday with England responding to Pakistan's formidable total of 556 runs.
However, the visitors encountered an early blow as left-arm pacer Shaheen Afridi dismissed the well-settled Zak Crawley, who was looking to establish a strong partnership with Joe Root.
Starting the day at 96-1, Crawley and Root were positioned to build momentum, but Afridi's early breakthrough shifted the dynamics.
Crawley fell for 45 runs, caught by Aamir Jamal while attempting a shot on the leg side.
The match, being held at Multan Cricket Stadium, is part of the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25. With Root unbeaten on 49 and Ben Duckett contributing 34, England's score stood at 162-2, trailing by 394 runs.
England, captained by Ollie Pope due to Ben Stokes' hamstring injury sustained during the Hundred League, faced challenges early in their innings.
On Day 2, Naseem Shah struck in his first over, sending Pope back to the pavilion.
Pakistan resumed their innings on Day 2 at 328-4, with Saud Shakeel and Naseem at the crease. Naseem's dismissal for 33 runs came courtesy of a catch from Harry Brook in the 105.4 overs.
Salman Ali Agha's unbeaten century and Shakeel's 82 guided Pakistan to a strong total, wrapping up their first innings within 149 overs on Tuesday.
Day 2 report
Salman Agha became Pakistan's third centurion, solidifying their commanding position in the first Test against England in Multan. However, the day took a chaotic turn when England lost Ben Duckett to injury after he sustained a painful blow to his left thumb while catching the last Pakistan wicket.
This setback was compounded when England captain Ollie Pope fell for a duck, leaving the visitors scrambling for stability at the crease.
As England began their innings, Zak Crawley joined Pope, but Pope's stay was short-lived, dismissed for a golden duck by Aamer Jamal, which further energized the Pakistani side.
In response to England's early struggles, Crawley, returning from injury, launched a counterattack, striking boundaries to establish momentum for the innings.
He brought up England's 50 in just the 11th over, forming a promising partnership with Joe Root, which flourished despite Pakistan's attempts to apply pressure.
With Root and Crawley putting together an unbroken partnership worth 92 runs, England seemed to regain composure, though Duckett's ability to bat later in the innings remained uncertain.
Overall, Pakistan maintained their advantage throughout the day, having set a formidable target with centuries from Shan Masood and Abdullah Shafique on day one.
Pakistan's bowlers faced challenges as England's six bowlers managed to take wickets but struggled to contain the Pakistani batters effectively.
Salman's aggressive approach against England's spinners, particularly Jack Leach, bolstered Pakistan's innings as he scored a rapid hundred.
Despite losing Shakeel to a sharp delivery from Shoaib Bashir, Salman continued to dominate, reaching his century and helping Pakistan surpass the 500-run mark.
Meanwhile, Naseem Shah, showcasing resilience with the bat, made his highest score in any format and held off England's attack for an extended period, ensuring Pakistan's strong position in the match.
