Pakistan’s left-arm spinner Noman Ali showcased his skill by delivering a remarkable ball to dismiss Zak Crawley in their second Test against England at the Multan Cricket Stadium. The dismissal occurred on the second ball of the fourth over, where Noman bowled a well-flighted delivery on off-stump that dipped at just the right moment. This caused Crawley to come out of his crease as he attempted to drive, only to be deceived by the turn of the ball, leading to an easy stumping by Mohammad Rizwan.
Crawley could only manage three runs off eight balls before being sent back to the pavilion, leaving England at 11 for two after 3.2 overs. At stumps on Day 3, England was positioned at 36 for two after 11 overs, requiring 261 more runs to secure victory, with Ollie Pope (21) and Joe Root (12) holding the fort at the crease.
In the first innings, Pakistan’s Sajid Khan stole the show by claiming seven wickets, helping the hosts take a 75-run lead. However, Pakistan faced early setbacks in their second innings with Abdullah Shafique and captain Shan Masood departing for low scores. Despite starts from Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, and Mohammad Rizwan, the hosts struggled to build substantial partnerships, finding themselves at 156 for eight.
Agha Salman emerged as the savior for Pakistan, forging a crucial 65-run partnership for the ninth wicket with Sajid Khan. Salman played a stellar innings, scoring 63 runs off 89 balls, including five boundaries and a six. Pakistan was eventually bowled out for 221, setting a target of 297 runs for England. Shoaib Bashir was the standout bowler for England, claiming four wickets in the innings.
With the stage set for an exciting finish, England will need to chase down the target on the final day of the Test match. The match promises to be a thrilling contest between bat and ball, with both teams looking to secure a crucial victory in the series.
