Spinners Jack Leach and teenager Rehan Ahmed shared six wickets between them as England dismissed Pakistan for 304 on the opening day of the third and last Test in Karachi.
Leach grabbed 4-140 and Ahmed completed with 2-89 as Pakistan batters spoiled good begins after Babar Azam gained the toss and batted on a turning National Stadium pitch on Saturday.
But England additionally fell prey to spin, with thriller tweaker Abrar Ahmed trapping Zak Crawley with out scoring earlier than the guests closed the day on 1-7.
Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope have been on the crease with 4 and three respectively as England path by 297 runs.
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England lead the three-match sequence 2-0 after profitable the primary Test by 74 runs in Rawalpindi and the second in Multan by 26 runs.
Skipper Azam top-scored for Pakistan with 78 earlier than working himself out within the post-tea session, whereas Agha Salman made 56.
But the beginning of the day belonged to Ahmed — who at 18 years and 126 days outdated grew to become the youngest England participant to begin a Test — when he dismissed Saud Shakeel for 23 in his seventh over.
Before Ahmed, Brian Close was the youngest England debutant at 18 years and 149 days when he performed in opposition to New Zealand in 1949.
Leach then got here into the act, breaking a cussed eighth wicket stand of 48 between Salman and Nauman Ali (20).
Ahmed, who was offered together with his Test cap in entrance of his Pakistan-born father Naeem by former England skipper Nasser Hussain, described the scene as “the best moment”.
“It’s great to be part of it. I believe in myself and try to do my best when given an opportunity,” he mentioned.
“They (England players) backed me the whole day and I couldn’t ask for more. To play at such a young age is a blessing. It’s the best feeling in my life.”
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Pakistan’s head coach Saqlain Mushtaq, additionally an excellent spinner in his days, praised the teen.
“It was a very impressive performance considering it was his first game. He is a young chap and he has a lot of potential and looks a very good prospect for the England team.” Saqlain thought his workforce fell quick by 60-70 runs.
“It’s not a bad total, some 60-70 would have been better, but we have to play disciplined cricket to restrict them because I think the pitch will get slower by the day.”
In the morning session, Pakistan misplaced Abdullah Shafique (8), Shan Masood (30) and Azhar Ali (40) earlier than Azam and Shakeel regarded to have steadied the innings with a 45-run fourth wicket stand.
But Ahmed had Shakeel caught off a defensive shot at short-leg earlier than Azam was adjudged run out by wicketkeeper Ben Foakes after a prolonged evaluate.
Azam, who hit 9 boundaries, additionally added 71 for the third wicket with Azhar.
Playing his final Test, Azhar fell on the stroke of lunch when he gloved a catch to a diving Foakes off pacer Ollie Robinson.
Sensing the pitch would take spin, England began the assault with Leach, who trapped Shafique leg-before within the sixth over of the day.
Leach turns into the primary spinner to open the assault in a Test for England in 101 years — Jack White did the identical in opposition to Australia at Leeds in 1921.
Masood fell to the entice of quick bowling as he pulled quick bowler Mark Wood straight into the fingers of deep fine-leg fielder Leach.
Masood hit 5 boundaries whereas Azhar had six hits to the ropes. Under stress to keep away from their first-ever 3-0 whitewash at house, Pakistan made 4 modifications from the second-Test line-up whereas England made two, bringing in Foakes and Ahmed.
Originally printed as Jack Leach and Rehan Ahmed shine for England opening day of third Pakistan Test
