KARACHI: A spin-friendly pitch here at the National Stadium has left the third Test between Pakistan and England — a dead rubber — poised to be an intriguing affair after it started on Saturday. On a dry surface — which, according to former England player Mike Atherton, looked “almost like a day two surface” even before the first ball was bowled — seven out of 11 wickets were taken by spinners.

Pakistan, however, managed to score 304 — after they won the toss for the first time in the series — as England’s Jack Leach took four wickets and 18-year-old leg-spinner Reh­an Ahmed claimed two victims on debut.

The hosts, then, got an early breakthrough to leave England at 7-1 by the close of the first day’s play, thanks to leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed trapping opener Zak Crawley lbw.

While Leach and Rehan kept giving Pakistan problems, the moments where the hosts let themselves down were not influenced by either of the two spinners.

Pakistan lost Azhar Ali — playing his farewell match — to a short delivery down the leg-side by pacer Ollie Robinson. Azhar pulled it only to find wicket-keeper Ben Foakes' gloves.

The dismissal, which came in the first session, broke a quickfire 71-run partnership between Azhar and Pakistan skipper Babar Azam.

In the final session, Babar was run out on the striker’s end while playing at 78.

“We could have done better,” Pakistan coach Saqlain Mushtaq obse­r­ved in the post-day press conference.

“Babar’s dismissal was not a good sign for Pakistan. The team was playing around him and it was looking like we would manage to reach 350-400.

“Azhar’s dismissal was soft too and the timing of it wasn’t good at all, Pakistan were in control until that point,” added Saqlain.

When Azhar departed, Pakistan were 117-3 after Leach had trapped opener Abdullah Shafique leg-before early in the innings for eight and a flamboyant-looking Shan Masood had been caught at fine leg of pacer Mark Wood for a 37-ball 30.

After Azhar was gone, Babar and Saud Shakeel showed some grit before the latter became Rehan’s maiden Test wicket when an inside edge onto his pads saw the ball loop up into the air for Ollie Pope to take an easy catch at short leg. The left-hander, who has shown immense promise in what is his debut series, could make only 23.

In came Mohammad Rizwan and made a clear signal to England that Pakistan wanted to score quick runs. He swept for three fours in his 24-ball 19 before mistiming a full toss off part-timer Joe Root to find England captain Ben Stokes at midwicket.

After 10 overs, Babar also depa­rted following a knock laced nine boundaries.

Rehan struck again soon, brilliantly bamboozling all-rounder Fah­eem Ashraf with a googly from round the wicket to trap the left-hander plumb.

It was a late onslaught by Salman Ali Agha and Nauman Ali that helped Pakistan come back into the match. The duo combined for 48 off just 50 balls for the eighth wicket before Nauman was undone by Leach.

Salman then added 15 with the incoming Mohammad Wasim, before getting stumped by Foakes off Leach for 56. He hit six fours in his 93-ball knock.

Saqlain said Pakistan’s total was good enough to keep them in contention for winning the game and avoiding the side’s first Test series whitewash at home.

“It’s not a bad total, some 60-70 would have been better, but we have to play disciplined cricket to restrict them because I think the pitch will get slower by the day,” said the former off-spinner.

It was a decent debut for Rehan, who became the youngest England player to play a Test match at an age of 18 years and 126 days. Before Rehan, Brian Close was the youngest England debutant at 18 years and 149 days when he played against New Zealand in 1949.

Rehan, who was presented with his Test cap in front of his Pakistan-born father Naeem by former England skipper Nasser Hussain, described the scene as “the best moment”.

“It’s great to be part of it. I believe in myself and try to do my best when given an opportunity,” he said. “They [England players] backed me the whole day and I couldn’t ask for more. To play at such a young age is a blessing. It’s the best feeling in my life.”

Scoreboard

PAKISTAN (1st Innings):

Abdullah Shafique lbw b Leach 8

Shan Masood c Leach b Wood 30

Azhar Ali c Foakes b Robinson 45

Babar Azam run out 78

Saud Shakeel c Pope b Rehan 23

Mohammad Rizwan c Stokes b Root 19

Salman Agha st Foakes b Leach 56

Faheem Ashraf lbw b Rehan 4

Nauman Ali c Stokes b Leach 20

Mohammad Wasim not out 8

Abrar Ahmed b Leach 4

EXTRAS (B-2, LB-2, NB-4, W-1) 9

TOTAL (all out, 79 overs) 304

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-18 (Abdullah), 2-46 (Shan), 3-117 (Azhar), 4-162 (Saud), 5-196 (Rizwan), 6-219 (Babar), 7-237 (Faheem), 8-285 (Nauman), 9-300 (Salman)

BOWLING: Robinson 8-1-31-1 (3nb); Leach 31-2-140-4 (1nb); Wood 15-2-33-1 (1w); Rehan 22-2-89-2; Root 3-0-7-1

ENGLAND (1st Innings):

Z. Crawley lbw b Abrar 0

B. Duckett not out 4

O. Pope not out 3

TOTAL (for one wicket, 3 overs) 7

STILL TO BAT: J. Root, H. Brook, B. Stokes, B. Foakes, Rehan Ahmed, O. Robinson, M. Wood, J. Leach

FALL OF WICKET: 1-0 (Crawley)

BOWLING: Abrar 2-1-2-1, Nauman 1-0-5-0

Published in Dawn, December 18th, 2022