3rd Test: England reeling at 24-3 after tough Shakeel Century | Cricket News

RAWALPINDI: Spinner Sajid Khan and Noman Ali left England reeling 24-3 after Saud Shakeel's fighting century gave Pakistan control of the series-deciding third Test in Rawalpindi on Friday.
England tried to overturn a deficit of 77 points but had no answer to the Pakistan spinners in a turning point.
Sajid dismissed Ben Duckett for 12 and Noman Ali removed Zak Crawley (two) and Ollie Pope (one) within five runs.
When bad light ended the second day's play with five overs remaining, Joe Root and Harry Brook were on the sidelines with five and three respectively.
England still need 53 runs to avoid an innings defeat with seven wickets in hand and three days to play.
The series is tied 1-1 after England won the first Test by an innings and 47 runs while Pakistan won the second Test by 152 runs, both in Multan.
On another spin-dominated day, Shakeel's brilliant 134 was the highlight, taking Pakistan within touching distance of their first home Test series win since defeating South Africa in February 2021.
Shakeel cushioned Pakistan's innings, taking them from a precarious 177-7 to 344.
“We had the idea that this shot would help spinners, so I prepared for it,” Shakeel said, admitting that it was one of his best shots.
The left-hander held Pakistan's innings together with a powerful knock over 322 minutes and 223 balls, hitting just five boundaries.
“A hundred is a hundred and it’s the best feeling and now we’re in the best phase of the game.”
But star player Rehan Ahmed, who was picked by the England bowlers, said his team still has a lot to fight for.
“I think we're still pretty positive with so many shots still ahead of us, so we'll still be pretty positive in the locker room tomorrow,” he said.
Ahmed took 4-66 while off-spinner Shoaib Bashir finished with 3-129.
– Defiant Shakeel –
The 29-year-old Shakeel defied England with an eighth-wicket stand of 88 alongside Noman, who made 45 before falling to spinner Bashir in the last over before the tea break.
Shakeel added another 72 for the ninth wicket while Sajid scored a career-best unbeaten 48.
Shakeel was eventually caught out by Gus Atkinson, the pacer, who made a mistake, while Ahmed dismissed the last man, Zahid Mahmood, for nothing.
The visitors appeared to be in control as young spinner Ahmed took three quick wickets and left Pakistan reeling at the end of the first session.
England were aiming for a lead after Ahmed defeated Pakistan 187-7 at the lunch break, but the altercation between Shakeel and Noman turned those expectations into frustration.
Shakeel fought with composure and reached his fourth Test hundred with a single off Rehan in a resilient innings.
Noman – who survived a leg-before decision at review and a dropped catch against Root – supported Shakeel admirably, hitting a six and two fours as the duo helped Pakistan score 80 in the second session.
Rehan sent Mohammad Rizwan (25), Salman Agha (one) and Aamer Jamal (14) back to the pavilion and threatened to derail Pakistan.
England's top players Jack Leach and Bashir failed to produce the same sharp turn on the pitch as their rival Sajid Khan, who won 6-128 on Thursday.
Pakistan entered the day's match at 73-3, looking for a sizeable lead to push for a series win.
But Shakeel was the only top-order batsman who was able to put together a meaningful innings after reaching double figures.