KARACHI: England left-arm spinner Jack Leach took three wickets in six balls to leave Pakistan in trouble at 99-3 in the third and final test on Monday.
After trailing by 50 runs in the first innings, Pakistan was ahead by just three runs on Day 3 of the dead rubber when the top order crashed against Leach on a slow-turning wicket where spinners have dominated.
Saud Shakeel (28) and captain Babar Azam (13) were unbeaten at lunch with Pakistan ahead by 49 runs.
England is chasing a rare 3-0 clean sweep in its first tour to Pakistan in 17 years after winning the first two tests by 74 and 26 runs respectively, on flat and slow-turning pitches, with its aggressive brand of test cricket.
Babar survived a leg-before-wicket television referral against Leach and lefthanded Shakeel braved a barrage of short-pitched deliveries from Mark Wood and Ollie Robinson to survive the first session.
Former captain Azhar Ali had a disappointing end to his 97-test career as the 37-year-old fell without scoring in his last innings when Leach knocked back his off stump with a sharp turning delivery.
England players applauded and shook hands with Azhar before he took the final guard with his wife and two sons among a sparse crowd at the National Stadium.
But Azhar lasted for only four balls against his former Somerset team-mate Leach before England players again shook hands with him for one last time.
Azhar was accorded a guard of honour by his teammates on the edge of the boundary line as he slowly walked back into the dressing room.
Resuming on 21-0, Shan Masood (24) started promisingly, smashing Joe Root for three boundaries and a six before the offspinner was taken out of the attack after two overs.
Abdullah Shafique wiped off the 50-run deficit with a pulled boundary against Mark Wood’s 140kph bouncer before Leach struck thrice without conceding a run.
Lefthanded Masood was bowled playing an extravagant reverse sweep as the ball clipped the bottom edge of his bat before hitting the leg stump.
Four balls later, Leach sent Azhar packing and then pinned Shafique (26) plumb lbw on the front foot to leave Pakistan on the mat.
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