Pakistan's promising leg-spinner, Abrar Ahmed, missed the fourth day of the first Test against England due to a fever, leaving the team’s spin department significantly weakened.
The 25-year-old spinner has been under regular medical supervision and is currently receiving treatment to aid his recovery. His absence is particularly felt after a challenging outing in the match, where he bowled 35 overs without taking a wicket, conceding 174 runs.
Captain Shan Masood now faces the challenge of restructuring the spin attack.
Salman Ali Agha has led the spin bowling, while Saim Ayub and Saud Shakeel are also being assessed as potential replacements for Ahmed.
Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat first, amassing a formidable total of 556 runs in their first innings.
However, England's batting has been relentless, with the visitors currently accumulating over 550 runs for just three wickets.
Joe Root has impressively scored his sixth double-century, and Harry Brook has crossed the 150-run mark, giving England a solid lead over Pakistan.