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Pakistan end Day 3 at 499/7, still trailing England by 158 runs

Neend next session to wicket less otherwise even draw will be very hard to achieve.
 
England have got to get Babar out soon. Maybe the rest will panic and a win becomes possible.
 
Butcher on England's bowling tactics
Former England batter Mark Butcher, speaking to Sky Sports...

"Both wickets Jack Leach took were exact examples of how you want batters to play on surfaces like this: You want guys to be hitting over the top of fielders or having to turn the bat face on the ball to score.

"For me, at times England have had the field a little bit too square - they could have squeeze everything a little bit straighter - but the wicket of Imam was caused by having the man almost at a schoolboy silly mid-on right in front of the batter.

"He can't hit it through mid-on for a single, he'd either have to turn the face on it where you get the leading edge or he'd have to go over the top - and in going over the top the man was back.

"The wicket of Azhar was exactly the same thing...He tried to score, missed it and was out lbw - and these are the ways you have to try to winkle people out on flat surfaces."
 
It's a tough job for a faster bowler'

Former Pakistan fast bowler Waqar Younis.

"It's a tough job for a faster bowler, especially on this surface. We have seen in Rawalpindi in the past...the pitch was decent.

"I'm not sure if it's because so much first-class cricket has been played here and the soil is dying away and there is not really much for the bowlers. You can leave a bit of grass and a little bit more carry for it...but this one is not really working."

==

Waqar: Morning session better for England

Former Pakistan fast bowler Waqar Younis, speaking to Sky Sports...

"It was much better [for England]. They controlled the game really well and they picked up wickets - and that's the key.

"What we've seen so far was a batsman's Test match, but today what we saw it was good from the fast bowlers and the spinners.

"They had control, the captaincy was outstanding, the way Ben Stokes has spread his fielders around."
 
Pakistan have maintained a very healthy run rate for their usual standards. It is a miracle to see them bat at 3.5 & veteran night watchman Azhar bat at a SR of 56.

The last thing they would want now is for Saud to bat selfishly on his debut & start tuk tuking to not get out.

Babar must score a hundred at his current SR of 75+ and Saud should also bat at 55+. If they don’t keep the scoreboard ticking & bring the innings to a halt, things could go south very quickly & Pakistan could be looking at a follow-on.

It is quite possible that Pakistan could be 6-7 down by end of play & that would be the game because the pitch will deteriorated somewhat on day 4 & 5.
 
Pakistan have maintained a very healthy run rate for their usual standards. It is a miracle to see them bat at 3.5 & veteran night watchman Azhar bat at a SR of 56.

The last thing they would want now is for Saud to bat selfishly on his debut & start tuk tuking to not get out.

Babar must score a hundred at his current SR of 75+ and Saud should also bat at 55+. If they don’t keep the scoreboard ticking & bring the innings to a halt, things could go south very quickly & Pakistan could be looking at a follow-on.

It is quite possible that Pakistan could be 6-7 down by end of play & that would be the game because the pitch will deteriorated somewhat on day 4 & 5.

Not seeing any follow on from england iif pakistan crumbles. Follow on is never be an ideal tactics (unless you have less time in test) if you name yourself as attacking side. Bat on and give a good target
 
Wiki bhai saying big boots to fill with Saud replacing Fawad. Shabaash.
 
England have got to get Babar out soon. Maybe the rest will panic and a win becomes possible.

Rest of this day is suddenly looking pivotal. If England can get another 5 wickets or so, well now!
 
Crowd is filling up in anticipation of a big knock from Babar.
 
2 plays and misses induced by Robinson now.
 
Ideal opportunity for Saud to join this run fest he can bat as long as he can......
 
Pak still very far behind the game.
Need to bat minimum till lunch tomorrow to stay alive.

We can expect Eng 2nd inns will not last more than 30 ovs max no matter what the lead, so Pak needs to cut short their 5th inns game time to the extent possible by prolonging first inns
 
Shaqeel on the brink of handing momentum back to England
 
Very disappointed in Saud Shakeel’s approach on this dead pitch. Just sitting doing nothing which seems to be the modus operandi for our new batsmen.

Just as I say that he finally hits a boundary
 
Good to see Babar taking up alpha role. Shakeel needs to atleast turn strike over.

Keep Englands nose firmly to grindstone
 
Pak still very far behind the game.
Need to bat minimum till lunch tomorrow to stay alive.

We can expect Eng 2nd inns will not last more than 30 ovs max no matter what the lead, so Pak needs to cut short their 5th inns game time to the extent possible by prolonging first inns

I think that will largely depend on the lead England will get. If Pakistan get dismissed (early on Day 4 Tomorrow ) and Engand get a lead of 100 runs. Will England score 200 runs in 30 overs and give Pakistan a target of 300 runs in 5 sessions on this pitch which is still fine for batting ? Think in case the lead is 100-120runs , England would look to Bat 50 overs score 350 and give a target of around 450 in last 4-4.5 sessions.
 
I think that will largely depend on the lead England will get. If Pakistan get dismissed (early on Day 4 Tomorrow ) and Engand get a lead of 100 runs. Will England score 200 runs in 30 overs and give Pakistan a target of 300 runs in 5 sessions on this pitch which is still fine for batting ? Think in case the lead is 100-120runs , England would look to Bat 50 overs score 350 and give a target of around 450 in last 4-4.5 sessions.

England will be happy to set 3.8-4.0 RPO to Pakistan in final inns. Their mentality is different now. They will not think like other teams.

They are secure that they can shut down Pak scoring when they want to through field placement and know that carrot is needed to make Pak go for it. They also don't mind risking losing in going for win

Watch Eng not bat more than 1 session no matter what their lead is.
 
Saud Shakeel looks solid and gutsy player with a temperament bit like Shiv Chanderpaul.
 
SS is on debut so can't expect him to bat fluently. Think he would look to survive on this wicket considering it's his debut and won't bat with confidence like experience batters will.
 
England are doing well in this match.

With the ball, not really.

For all the hoopla about Bazball the biggest problem Eng have had in away series is getting 20 wkts. Attack selection and performance here clearly shows zero progress on that front. Jacks and Livingstone will never work as 2nd spinning options in SC and their weakness is increasing strain on Leach.
 
Some people are saying England’s 2nd innings will not last more than 30 overs.

That is not the case. Suppose Pakistan is all out 460 tomorrow early morning.

England will bat 1.5 sessions till tea or just before tea to put another 200.

Setting pakistan 380+ with 4 sessions of batting well.
 
What in the world is Saud Shakeel doing? Needs to support Babar by picking up the lace. A strike rate of 30 will just not cut it on this pitch.
 
Some people are saying England’s 2nd innings will not last more than 30 overs.

That is not the case. Suppose Pakistan is all out 460 tomorrow early morning.

England will bat 1.5 sessions till tea or just before tea to put another 200.

Setting pakistan 380+ with 4 sessions of batting well.

England's 6.5 RPO in first inns was their measured batting approach. When they are in 5th gear looking to declare against this toothless Pak bowling lineup, you can expect 7.5-8.0 levels
 
What in the world is Saud Shakeel doing? Needs to support Babar by picking up the lace. A strike rate of 30 will just not cut it on this pitch.

What’s the deal with these new batsmen batting like there is a gun to their head? Abdullah is the same way. It may be due to how unpredictable the management is when it comes to dropping players, must feel like Russian roulette to these poor guys. But I think this is just how they’re being developed sadly…
 
Lull in the game here, all very slow.

Run rate at risk of reducing soon.
 
Saud getting bogged down, needs to play his natural game.

He's generally a free-flowing batter in FC, probably feeling the nerves on debut.
 
Absolutely criminal for Saud Shakeel to be batting at a strike rate of under 30!!

He has completely sucked out any impetus that this Pakistan innings had. Making Azhar look like Chris Gayle at this point...
 
This Jacks guy averages 50+ with the ball in FC, and Saud is giving him the respect no other batsman has shown him in his entire life. :))) Even his dad probably would smash his bowling if he faced it.

Cowardly batting. No one is saying to hit a 10 ball 40, but come on dude. This is a nothing attack and you’re striking at 30? Just wait till you’re in Australia .
 
What is the need for Pakistan to bat fast, especially the debutant Saud. There is zero channce for Pakistan to win, so it is better to grind down the English bowlers and take the moral victory, than being flashy,which is not Pakistan style, and getting bowled out with 300 deficit.
 
Saud knows that pakistan will probably drop a batsmen for next test for a 5th bowler, so he knows if he fails he will be one for the chop. Thats pressure in this team, as TTF Azhar will be retained.
 
Absolutely criminal for Saud Shakeel to be batting at a strike rate of under 30!!

He has completely sucked out any impetus that this Pakistan innings had. Making Azhar look like Chris Gayle at this point...

For God sake
Its his first day at job.

Show some mercy on saud
 
Not impressed by Saud so far. If Fawad had been batting like this, then imagine the level of hate he would be getting. Might be nerves but he hasn't really impressed at international level yet. Even in the ODIs he played he looked very timid.
 
Pakistan still 283 behind, so still long way to go, add to that england will bat quickly again, so pakistan should take their time here.
 
Some ruthless comments :))

It’s his first Test innings.

A lot of batters (many who went on to be very good) got out for a single figure score in their debut Test.
 
For God sake
Its his first day at job.

Show some mercy on saud

You can look at it 2 ways. He can take it easy go nowhere, have zero impact and trudge to 40 off 130 or take advantage of the great fortune of the flattest track ever to make an impression on his debut.
 
What is the need for Pakistan to bat fast, especially the debutant Saud. There is zero channce for Pakistan to win, so it is better to grind down the English bowlers and take the moral victory, than being flashy,which is not Pakistan style, and getting bowled out with 300 deficit.

That's fine....but SR needs to be around 50 atleast.

SR of 30 disrupts the flow of the game and brings the inngs to a half and if a wicket falls Pakistan will be in trouble.
 
This is it

Once you get into the Pakistan team you stop caring about the team itself!
 
You can look at it 2 ways. He can take it easy go nowhere, have zero impact and trudge to 40 off 130 or take advantage of the great fortune of the flattest track ever to make an impression on his debut.

Exactly. I know it’s easier said than done for us armchair experts watching from far on his debut. But the thing is this idiot management can drop anyone at any time when they have their brain farts at the wrong time. So why even let that be the reason to bat like this.

Your job is to continue playing the way that got you selected. Which was with proper stroke making- not this nonsense.

3 specialist bowlers + flat track?! Sounds like a buffet to me, but our boy is fasting at the buffet.
 
To everyone defending Saud Shakeel -

You cannot ignore the fact that he is batting at a strike rate of under 30 on the SAME pitch where Brook hit a 150 at a strike rate of over 130!

And Brook was playing his second ever Test (first overseas). Inexperience is not a defence for sucking the life out of an innings.
 
I feel sorry for England. They will be mentally shot if they are kept in the field for 200+ overs.
 
To everyone defending Saud Shakeel -

You cannot ignore the fact that he is batting at a strike rate of under 30 on the SAME pitch where Brook hit a 150 at a strike rate of over 130!

And Brook was playing his second ever Test (first overseas). Inexperience is not a defence for sucking the life out of an innings.

:)) comparing Harry brook (An aggresive stroke maker) to Saud (Accumulator)

Also Brook has played PSL in pakistan and T20 series here, he knows the conditions.
 
This is where Pakistan have no clue about the mental aspect of the game. Stokes is struggling, can barely follow through and we’re ducking under harmless bouncers.

He’s the england captain who’s a bit injured, bowling on a dead track - target him, demoralise him. Every team looks to target the captain.

But we just sit there, trudge along, do nothing. Pathetic team, pathetic tactics, pathetic mentality
 
There is nothing for Pak to gain by upping ante here and everything to lose if they throw a wkt away in doing so.

Let Saud bat in the way he is comfortable. It was critical to get a partnership when he came in and now they've put on a 100
 
Lots of impatient Teenage brats crying in here, 100 Partnership here in 30 overs, 3 RPO is fairly decent and instead people expecting T20 batting.
 
100 For Babar, everyone cashing in on this dead wicket.
 
Pakistan are looking to bat til end of Day 4 and secure the Draw. Can’t blame them for this.
 
Pakistan are looking to bat til end of Day 4 and secure the Draw. Can’t blame them for this.

Should just look to bat till end of day 5 and keep england in the field.
 
“I’d like to roll this pitch up and take it with me around the world to bat on” as a certain Yorkshireman used to say.

:boycott

Id fancy getting a triple ton on this surface
 
:)) comparing Harry brook (An aggresive stroke maker) to Saud (Accumulator)

Also Brook has played PSL in pakistan and T20 series here, he knows the conditions.

I’m comparing the fact that Brook’s strike rate is an entire 100 points more. There is no comparison whatsoever, as you rightly suggest. Brook is miles ahead at the moment because Shakeel is not even batting at half of the half of Brook’s SR.

That says a LOT.
 
Excellent innings by the PAK skipper. If he keeps going, PAK might even overhaul England.
 
Lots of impatient Teenage brats crying in here, 100 Partnership here in 30 overs, 3 RPO is fairly decent and instead people expecting T20 batting.

They are not trying to win the match mate. They are trying to save it. This defeatist mentality almost always ends up in a loss as we saw vs Australia a few months ago.
 
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