Pindi Test Day-1: After Bowling England Out for 267, Pakistan at 73-3 at Stumps

England fought back to reduce Pakistan to 73-3 by the close of play on the opening day of the series-deciding third Test in Rawalpindi on Thursday.

The day saw a stellar performance from Pakistani spinner Sajid Khan, who claimed six wickets.

Sajid’s impressive figures of 6-128, along with Noman Ali’s 3-88, helped Pakistan bowl out England for 267 after the visitors had stumbled to 110-5 by lunch.

A rearguard effort from Jamie Smith, who scored a crucial 89, boosted England’s total.

By stumps, Pakistan captain Shan Masood and Saud Shakeel remained unbeaten on 16, with the hosts trailing by 194, leaving the match finely poised.

13 wickets fell on the opening day on a dry, spin-friendly Rawalpindi pitch, with all but one claimed by spinners.

After Pakistan’s spinners dominated, England’s slow bowlers took control in the final session.

Shoaib Bashir removed Abdullah Shafique for 14, while Jack Leach dismissed Saim Ayub, who had scored 19.

Gus Atkinson was the only pacer to strike, sending Kamran Ghulam back for just three runs.

Wicketkeeper Jamie Smith was the standout for England, adding 149 runs for the last four wickets. He smashed six towering sixes and five fours in his 119-ball knock before being caught off a mistimed slog against spinner Zahid Mahmood just before tea.

After the break, Sajid Khan completed his third five-wicket haul by dismissing Rehan Ahmed for nine and later sent Leach packing for 16.

England captain Ben Stokes was sent back to the dressing room in the third over after the break, as he was caught by Sajid Khan for 12. However, Jamie Smith, who reached his fifty off 94 balls, and Gus Atkinson (39) put together a crucial 105-run stand for the seventh wicket.

The morning session was dominated by Pakistan’s spin duo, Sajid and Noman Ali, who bowled unchanged for 42 overs. After winning the toss and electing to bat, England faced immediate pressure from the spinners, with the dry pitch offering turn and low bounce from the start.

It was only the fourth time in Test history that the new ball was given to two spinners on the first morning and the first occurrence in Pakistan.

Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett gave England a strong start, racing to 56, but they soon lost momentum. Crawley (29), Ollie Pope (3), and Joe Root (5) fell in quick succession, with just 24 runs separating their dismissals.

Noman dismissed Crawley with a mistimed drive, while Sajid trapped both Pope and Root leg-before. Duckett, who reached his half-century off 76 balls, was also out lbw to Noman after scoring 52, which included four boundaries and a six.

Harry Brook, England’s first Test triple-centurion, lasted only 14 balls before Sajid bowled him behind his legs for five, as he misjudged a sweep shot.

Both teams included three spinners in their lineups, anticipating the spin-friendly conditions on the grassless pitch, which Pakistan had dried using fans and heaters in the lead-up to the match.

Sajid and Noman had been instrumental in Pakistan’s victory in the second Test in Multan, where the duo shared all 20 wickets, levelling the series 1-1 after England won the first Test by innings.

Playing XIs

Pakistan: Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood (captain), Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Muhammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Salman Agha, Aamer Jamal, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Zahid Mahmood

England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith (wicketkeeper), Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir