Pakistan closed Day 1 of the series-deciding third Test in Rawalpindi at 73/3 after bowling out England for 267, thanks largely to off-spinner Sajid Khan’s exceptional performance, taking 6-128. Left-arm spinner Noman Ali also contributed, claiming 3-88. Despite being in trouble at 118-6 after lunch, England managed to recover through a resilient 89-run knock from wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, aided by Gus Atkinson’s 39. Their 105-run stand for the seventh wicket propelled England from a precarious 110-5 to a more respectable total of 267, with Smith hitting six sixes and five fours before being dismissed in the last over before tea.
The Rawalpindi pitch, dry and spin-friendly, witnessed 13 wickets falling on the first day, with all but one claimed by spinners. England’s spinners Shoaib Bashir and Jack Leach struck back in Pakistan’s innings, dismissing openers Abdullah Shafique and Saim Ayub for 14 and 19 respectively. Fast bowler Gus Atkinson took the only non-spin wicket of the day, removing Kamran Ghulam for three. At the end of play, Pakistan’s Shan Masood and Saud Shakeel were unbeaten on 16 each, with Pakistan trailing by 194 runs, leaving the match delicately balanced.
Reflecting on the conditions, Sajid commented, “The pitch supported us for the first 25 overs, but once the ball softened, it was challenging to generate turn.” He acknowledged Smith’s pivotal innings, noting that without his contribution, England could have been dismissed for under 200. “We’re aiming for a strong first-innings lead to control the game,” Sajid added.
Earlier in the day, England’s Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett provided a solid start, racing to 56 runs, but then lost wickets in quick succession. Noman dismissed Crawley (29), while Sajid trapped both Ollie Pope (three) and Joe Root (five) leg before wicket, leaving England at 80-3. Duckett, after completing a steady half-century, was dismissed by Noman for 52, and Harry Brook, the hero of the first Test, was bowled by Sajid for five. The dry, grassless pitch that Pakistan had prepared with fans and heaters to amplify turn justified both teams’ decision to field three spinners.
This intense day of spin bowling builds on the momentum from the second Test, where Sajid and Noman had shared all 20 England wickets to level the series at 1-1. The Rawalpindi track has turned this third Test into a battle of spinners, with each team vying for an upper hand in this decisive match.
