MULTAN: England were in command of the second Test against Pakistan in Multan on Saturday, leading by 281 at stumps on day two as they eyed a series-clinching win.
The visitors were 202-5 in their second innings on a turning pitch — which has seen 25 wickets fall in two days — with the solid Harry Brook 74 not out, accompanied by skipper Ben Stokes on 16.
Earlier, spinner Jack Leach took 4 for 98 as Pakistan were bundled out for 202, giving England a 79-run first-innings lead and putting them in a strong position to take the Test series — their first in Pakistan in 17 years.
England won the first Test by 74 runs in Rawalpindi.
In their second innings in Multan, England opener Ben Duckett hit an aggressive 79 before he fell to spinner Abrar Ahmed, who took three wickets to add to his seven in the first innings. Will Jacks (four) and Joe Root (21) were his other victims.
With 3-81 in the second innings so far, Ahmed has become the second Pakistani bowler to take 10 or more wickets on debut, after Mohammad Zahid’s 11-130 against New Zealand in 1996.
Brook, who hit eight fours and a six, added 68 for the fourth wicket with Duckett.
Ahmed also had a hand in Zak Crawley’s dismissal for three, running him out with a direct hit from mid-on as the batter attempted a quick single.
In the morning session, Pakistan’s batters wasted a strong position after they resumed at 107-2 with skipper Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel looking to build a solid lead.
But once Azam was bowled by fast bowler Ollie Robinson for 75 in the seventh over of the day, the innings collapsed with seven wickets falling for just 37 runs.
Along with Leach, Root also found success with his looping off-breaks, dismissing Agha Salman (four) and Mohammad Ali (nought).
With lunch extended for the last wicket, Faheem Ashraf (22) and Ahmed (seven not out) held on for 23 runs before Mark Wood broke the partnership.
Root had figures of 2-23 and Wood 2-40.
Azam hit ten boundaries and a six and added 91 for the third wicket with Shakeel.
Leach lured Shakeel into playing a lofted shot toward mid-on where James Anderson held a smart running catch, giving the spinner his 100th Test wicket.
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