England-Pakistan second test became exciting: PAK need 157 runs to win
England-Pakistan second test became exciting: PAK needed 157 runs to win, England needed 6 wickets
On the third day of the Multan Test, England gave Pakistan a target of 355 runs to win. In reply, Pakistan scored 198 runs losing 4 wickets to the stumps. Saud Shakeel (54) and Faheem Ashraf (3) are unbeaten. That is, Pakistan now needs 157 runs to win. Pakistan has 2 days to chase the target. At the same time, England needed 6 wickets to win. The pitch is helping the spinners. In such a situation, the road ahead will not be easy for Pakistan.
England began the third day at 202/5. Harry Brook scored a century. He scored 108 runs. Captain Ben Stokes returned to the pavilion after scoring 41 runs. Olly Robinson 3, Mark Wood 6 and James Anderson were dismissed after scoring 4 runs. Jack Leach was unbeaten with (0). For Pakistan, Abrar, who took 3 wickets on the second day, got 1 wicket on the third day. Whereas Zahid Mehmood got 3 wickets and Mohammad Nawaz got one wicket.
Chasing the target, the Pakistan team added 198 runs in the second innings so far. Abdullah Shafiq and Mohammad Rizwan came out to open. Shafiq (45) and Rizwan (30) returned to the pavilion after scoring runs. Captain Babar Azam, who came out to bat at number three, did not walk. He got out after scoring 1 run. Allie Robinson bowled him. Imam-ul-Haq played a half-century inning of 60 runs. Saud Shakeel (54) and Faheem Ashraf (3) are unbeaten. England's James Anderson, Olly Robinson, Jack Leach and Mark Wood got 1-1 wickets.
Abrar Ahmed took 11 wickets in this test match. He took 7 wickets in the first innings and 4 wickets in the second innings. With this, Abrar equalled the record of taking the most wickets in a Test debut for Pakistan. Earlier this record was in the name of fast bowler Mohammad Zahid. Zahid took 11 wickets in his debut Test against New Zealand in Rawalpindi in 196.
The world record for taking the most wickets in a debut test is in the name of India's Narendra Hirwani. Hirwani took 16 wickets in his very first Test against the West Indies in 1988–89.
This is the second time this year that a debutant bowler has taken 10 or more wickets in Tests. Prior to Abrar, Sri Lanka's Prabhat Jayasuriya took 12 wickets in his Test debut against Australia in July 2022.