England finds itself in a precarious position after a disastrous start to their run chase on day three of the second Test against Pakistan in Multan. Chasing a challenging target of 297 runs, they closed the day at 36-2, with both openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley back in the pavilion, leaving Pakistan in a strong position to square the series at 1-1.
England's woes were compounded by the loss of these key wickets in just 11 overs at the end of what had already been a tough day. The visitors' chances of turning the match around slipped further after costly missed chances earlier in the day by Jamie Smith and Joe Root, allowing Pakistan’s Salman Agha to score a valuable 63. Salman capitalised on these reprieves to form a crucial 65-run partnership for the ninth wicket with Sajid Khan, who had earlier taken 7-111 to help dismiss England for 291 in their first innings.
Pakistan was eventually bowled out for 221, setting England a daunting target of 297—one of their highest overseas chases, and the biggest by any touring side in Pakistan. However, Sajid Khan continued his influence on the game, dismissing Duckett with a top-edge sweep, and Noman Ali then stumped Crawley with a dipping delivery.
While England pulled off a historic win in the first Test on this ground with their remarkable scoring, this match presents a much greater challenge. The pitch, having already endured several days of play, is deteriorating into a dusty, unpredictable surface, making a chase of this magnitude even more difficult.
The loss of Duckett, one of England's top performers against spin, dealt a significant blow to their chances. He had scored a century in the first innings, but his attempt to sweep Sajid’s third ball resulted in a catch by wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan. Crawley, struggling to find rhythm against spin, was dismissed by a well-executed delivery from Noman.
As light faded and the tension mounted, Joe Root and Ollie Pope managed to survive the final overs, battling on to take the game into the fourth day. But with 261 runs still needed, England faces an enormous challenge to turn this match around.