England face uphill battle in second Test against Pakistan after Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley fall early in run-chase
Updated 17/10/2024 at 16:17 GMT+1
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England openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley were dismissed early as Brendon McCullum's side started their run-chase poorly in Multan, with hosts Pakistan poised to level the series at 1-1. England had been set 297 to win in Multan, but closed on 36-2 at stumps on Thursday. England assistant coach Paul Collingwood told Sky Sports "there's belief in the dressing room" despite a tough day of action.
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England face an uphill task in the second Test against Pakistan in Multan, after openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley were cheaply dismissed in pursuit of their victory target of 297.
Brendon McCullum's side surged to a remarkable 1-0 win over Pakistan last week, triumphing in emphatic fashion by an innings and 47 runs, but the second Test has posed issues for the tourists.
Salman Ali Agha (63) seized on England's sloppiness to post a half-century in the morning session, helping to build a target of 297.
And McCullum's team barely made a dent before Duckett was removed for a duck by Sajid Khan, while Noman Ali produced a fantastic piece of bowling to have Crawley stumped.
"We've got to be realistic," England assistant coach Paul Collingwood told Sky Sports. "It's going to be difficult tomorrow - with the amount of cracks on the pitch.
"It will be one hell of an effort if we can [win]. But there's belief in the dressing room, it's as simple as that.
"We have done some special things in the past, broken records, but we've got to be realistic that it will be a tough, tough chase."
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Shoaib Bashir and Jack Leach added 29 as England posted a further 59 to their overnight score to reach 291 all-out early on day three, with Pakistan holding a 75-run lead after the first innings.
Sajid Khan (7-111) continued his imperious bowling display, as England's collapse amounted to eight wickets for 80 runs across the evening of day two and beginning of day three.
Pakistan's Salman Agha (63) was the hosts' top scorer, while Leach (3-67) and Bashir (4-99) claimed seven wickets between them on a tricky pitch which saw spinners thrive.
Bashir struck first to dismiss opener Abdullah Shafique (4) and then took the wicket of Pakistan captain Shan Masood (11) who was caught at slip by Ollie Pope.
Saim Ayub (22) was the next to fall to Bashir, while a review put pay to Kamran Ghulam (26) who was trapped lbw by Leach.
Mohammad Rizwan (23) and Saud Shakeel (31) shared 37 runs before the former edged a wide ball to Joe Root at slip.
Another lbw off a Leach delivery was reviewed in favour of England, sending Shakeel packing, before the spinner found a beauty to bowl Aamer Jamal (1).
The tourists had sloppiness to blame for having to chase a target of 297, with Jamie Smith and Root reprieving Salman in the same over. Salman was on four and six when he was given his lives, and went on to make 63 as Pakistan eventually reached 221 all-out.
England did not have much time to make a dent in their target before stumps on day three, but got off to a poor start with Duckett - who scored a century in the first innings - and Crawley falling early to Sajid and Ali.
Pope (21*) and Root (8*) saw England through to the end of play at 36-2, and will be tasked with making up some sizeable ground on day four as the tourists face an uphill battle to wrap up victory in the three-Test series.
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