Saud Shakeel’s fighting century propelled Pakistan to 344 on day two of the series-deciding third Test against England in Rawalpindi on Friday, gaining a first-innings lead of 77 runs.
The left-hander held Pakistan’s innings together with a gritty 134 spread over 322 minutes and 223 balls, hitting just five boundaries.
England scored 267 in their first innings.
The series is tied at 1-1 after England won the first Test by an innings and 47 runs while Pakistan took the second by 152 runs, both in Multan.
Leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed was the pick of the England bowlers with 4-66.
The 29-year-old Shakeel defied England with an eighth wicket stand of 88 alongside Noman Ali who made 45 before falling in the final over ahead of the tea break to spinner Shoaib Bashir.
Shakeel added another 72 for the ninth wicket with Sajid Khan who scored an unbeaten career-best 48.
Shakeel was finally caught off a miscued pull off pacer Gus Atkinson while Rehan Ahmed dismissed the last man Zahid Mahmood for nought.
The visitors looked to be in control when young spinner Ahmed bagged three quick wickets to leave Pakistan teetering at the end of the first session.
England were eyeing a lead after Ahmed’s burst left Pakistan on 187-7 at lunch but the Shakeel-Noman stand turned those expectations into frustration.
Shakeel batted with composure and reached his fourth Test hundred with a single off Rehan in a resistance-packed innings.
Noman — surviving a leg-before decision on review and a dropped catch off Joe Root — assisted Shakeel admirably, hitting a six and two fours as the duo helped Pakistan add 80 in the second session.
Rehan sent Mohammad Rizwan (25), Salman Agha (one) and Aamer Jamal (14) back to the pavilion and threatened to derail Pakistan.
England’s frontline spinners Jack Leach and Bashir could not extract the same sharp turn from the pitch as rival Sajid Khan, who took 6-128 on Thursday.
Pakistan resumed the day at 73-3 in search of a lead to press for a series win.
But Shakeel was the only batter able to continue after reaching double figures.
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