England discovered methods to take wickets and sensed lead regardless of tons of from three Pakistan gamers on the third day of the opening Test in Rawalpindi Saturday. Pakistan have been 499-7 at stumps with Agha Salman (10) and Zahid Mahmood (but to attain) on the crease — nonetheless trailing England’s mammoth 657 first innings complete by 158 runs, with three wickets in hand. On a see-saw day, Pakistan have been lifted by centuries from skipper Babar Azam (136), and openers Imam-ul-Haq (121) and Abdullah Shafique (114). But England took three wickets within the first session, none within the second and three once more earlier than the near put themselves in a greater place.

If the vacationers can drive a 100-plus lead and rating like they did within the first innings, they’ll nonetheless drive a win on a Rawalpindi Stadium pitch which has given little assist to the bowlers.

Spinners Will Jacks (3-132) and Jack Leach (2-160) shared the early spoils, whereas the tempo duo of James Anderson and Ollie Robinson took a wicket every.

Saturday’s remaining session belonged to residence skipper Azam, who hit 19 boundaries and a six for his first Test hundred towards England.

He cracked a boundary in direction of cowl off opposition skipper Ben Stokes to achieve his eighth profession Test century, this coming off 126 balls and studded with 13 boundaries.

Jacks compelled a miscued drive off Azam to get him caught at level, and within the subsequent over Mohammad Rizwan performed straight in to the palms of mid-wicket off Anderson.

Debutant Saud Shakil, who added 123 for the fourth wicket with Azam, was caught behind off Robinson quickly after the tea interval.

Earlier, Azam upped the tempo within the second session after Pakistan misplaced centurions Shafique (114), Haq (121) and Azhar Ali (27) earlier than lunch.

The centuries by Shafique and Haq meant for the primary time in 146 years of Test cricket the openers of each groups reached three figures within the first innings.

Their 225-run opening stand — a Pakistan file towards England — can also be the primary time in Test historical past that two 200-plus opening partnerships have been made, following Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett‘s 233-run partnership for the guests.

Pakistan began the day on 181 with out loss and Shafique, 89 in a single day, was the primary to 3 figures with a pointy single off Joe Root.

Haq, who began the session on 90, adopted with a boundary off the identical bowler to finish his century.

They each now have three Test centuries and successive tons of on the venue, having additionally reached three figures towards Australia in March this yr.

Crawley (122), Duckett (107), Ollie Pope (108) and Harry Brook (153) scored centuries for England of their first innings.

The remaining Tests are in Multan (December 9-13) and Karachi (December 17-21).

(This story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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