It was another successful day for Pakistan on Sunday, as they go into the final day of the second Test match against England needing seven wickets to secure victory.
Joe Root will lead the survival efforts on Monday morning as he goes into it on 59, but they trail by 361 runs. A draw is almost certainly the best they can hope for. Root has given nothing more than a glimmer of hope though, as the pitch becomes trickier to navigate as the match wears on.
Pakistan started the day on 222-3 after bowling out the tourists for 242. Captain Misbah-ul-Haq fell early on for 87, before Pakistan’s greatest run-scorer, Younis Khan, notched up a 31st Test ton. He built a solid stand with Asad Shafiq (79) to put any chances of an England victory beyond reach. They eventually declared on 354-6, offering England a daunting 490 for victory.
It was an ugly start for England, as makeshift opener Moeen Ali flashed at one to be caught at second slip for two. Alastair Cook, visibly suffering with a groin strain, could make only 10.
Ian Bell and Joe Root then knuckled down to give England a chance of staying in the contest. They put together 102, before Bell fell for 46. Root then brought up his 12th score of fifty or more this year, breaking Keith Fletcher’s record from 1973.
England’s hopes rest on Root, as they go into day five on 130-3.
