If this was the decisive day in the series, then all credit should go to Shakeel, who played an innings reminiscent of the late Graham Thorpe. England must also be sick of Noman and Sajid, who revitalised Pakistan with their wickets and have now played crucial knocks with the bat.
Just like on day one, the pitch was achingly slow and played fewer tricks in terms of turn and bounce for the older ball. Even with the new ball, England carried only a fleeting threat.
For once, Ben Stokes’s tactics were questionable. Ahmed bowled just one over of the first 47 in the Pakistan innings. England were passive in the field, with boundary riders allowing single after single.
When Sajid arrived to drive home Pakistan’s position, England were bereft of answers. Gus Atkinson was ignored until the second new ball was 15 overs old and was the man to remove Shakeel, while Stokes did not bowl himself at all.
The concern was England would go too hard against the new ball, repeating the mistakes of a first-day slump to 118-6. Pakistan’s total was what England should have reached after winning the toss, rather than their 267.
As it turned out, their defences were breached as Noman and Sajid got more from the pitch than the England spinners. The tourists at least have the advantage of bowling last, but need the runs to make it count.