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England’s humiliating defeat by Pakistan calls into question the whole Bazball project

kieran crichard
·47-min read
Ben Stokes looking dejected
England were bowled out for 112 in their second innings, meaning that Pakistan chased just 36 to win - Getty Images/Stu Forster

A pack of cards collapsed on the third morning in Pakistan. It went by the official title of the England Test team.

Batting was awkward on a turning pitch against Pakistan’s two fine finger-spinners but the ball was only turning – at times lavishly, yes – it was not keeping low or spitting. England’s response, in being dismissed for 112 and losing by nine wickets and the series 2-1, was, simply, inadequate.

It was inadequate to the extent that it calls into question the whole Bazball project. This England team, as a generalisation, have been encouraged to go out and play their “natural game” and to “express themselves”, but in challenging circumstances like these, their approach smacks of mindless optimism. When the going gets tough for batting, they react artlessly.

Hard hands, not a lot of footwork, and the willingness to play a shot at almost every ball: this recipe works on flat pitches, and wins Test matches on them. The feather bed of Multan, in the opening Test of this series, saw one of the great chapters in England’s annals when Joe Root and Harry Brook ran riot in posting 823 for seven, the fourth-highest Test total.

Promptly, Pakistan changed their strategy – bring on turning pitches – and England did not. Their response remained as it was. They said they were happy to keep playing their natural games. Well, their opponents were even happier as England were dismissed in 33.3 overs in the second innings of the second Test, and in 37.2 overs in the second innings of the third.

The British army was reformed after the Charge of the Light Brigade. Will England’s batting also be reformed? Will mindless optimism be replaced? This analogy extends to England’s batsmen riding bravely towards danger behind Lord Cardigan in the search for glory; not for them a grubby fight for survival in defending the last ditch.

Put it another way. Other Test teams in England’s history would have gone down for 144 and 112 in these same circumstances of the past two Tests, or for not much more. But the point is that they would have sold their wickets more dearly. This England team, under the current direction of Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes, are more generous: take one wicket, get one free, or two, or three. Hurry, hurry, the sales are now on: all wickets to go cheaply.

And the knock-on effect of these sudden and seismic collapses, if they only could see it, is that England’s batsmen encourage the opposition. The Australians can only be delighted at watching England’s one-track naivety: they know that this England side is inherently brittle.

Pakistan had only to be patient and wait – this was the message of Pakistan’s coach Jason Gillespie, an Australian himself, after the first Test – and an England batsman will try something completely inappropriate in the circumstances, a shot of excessively high risk. The last thing they will do is dig in and fight.

England six down before reaching parity

England needed much less than two hours on the third morning to be dismissed/to donate their last seven wickets. Resuming at 24 for three, they lost three more merely in wiping out the first innings deficit of 77. Both of Pakistan’s finger-spinners, the pugnacious Sajid Khan with his off-breaks, and the flightier, floatier Noman Ali with his old-fashioned left-arm spin, enjoyed another field day.

In the second Test, Pakistan’s two finger-spinners took all 20 wickets, in the third 19. You would have to go back to Jim Laker and Tony Lock in 1956 running through Test opposition to this extent. The Australians then were naive in playing spin on wet, turning pitches. Here, England have been naive on pitches that have been dry to the point of arid. The difference is that the Australians were not full-time professionals; England are meant to be.

Harry Brook was adventurous while he lasted, when there did not seem to be so much need to hurry. He came down the pitch to off drive Sajid’s off-breaks, for which there was something to be said; and he tried to cut or force square on the offside his sharply turning off-breaks, for which there was nothing to be said. A dab at Noman and he was caught behind.

Stokes has suffered some dramatic dismissals in Asia – he will not be too distressed that England do not have to return there until 2027 – and this one was right up there. It must have been a brain-fade: he shouldered arms to a left-arm spinner that was destined to hit the stumps. He stayed on bended knee: ever chivalrous on the field, he even lent forward from that kneeling position to toss the ball to a fielder. He did not care to discuss the possibility of a review with his partner Joe Root, which was worth a go.

It made for a poor match for England’s captain, perhaps his poorest. His hands gripping the bat harder than most, Stokes has not played one of his great innings on a turning track in Asia. His first-innings dismissal was artless, when lured into driving a wide off-break, and he did not bowl himself, when a yorker or two might have rounded up Pakistan’s tail before they posted that relatively huge lead of 77.

Root in the middle of this latest debacle recalled the lines of the boy standing on the burning deck; he had no company. He played some reverse-sweeps at Noman, which was sensible, when the ball was landing outside off stump and turning away, with only a backward point to stop him scoring. When a beautifully flighted and weighted left-arm spinner came along, he was good enough to edge it. Mohammad Rizwan has been dynamic in keeping to the spinners and further enhancing their value.

Rehan Ahmed had contributed four wickets with his zestful wrist-spin: with his low trajectory, as the ball skidded through, he was a good selection for his bowling. His batting is full of strokeplaying potential but it will drown if he interprets the Bazball project to be as cavalier as he likes. But then he was only copying Brook in sweeping – which the Pakistan batsmen have seldom done – in his first innings, and getting bowled behind his legs.

Calmness under fire, guts and resolution? Jamie Smith and Gus Atkinson had done it in their first innings and yet again Atkinson seemed to have more of a game-plan than most of his top-order team-mates. He radiated some assurance at the crease and had to be bowled out.

The big question is whether Smith’s mistakes as a wicketkeeper are affecting his batting. A missed stumping in the first Test did not matter. Dropping Salman Agha in the second was crucial, and so too was the hard chance he dropped when Saud Shakeel had made 26 here, only to add more than a hundred runs off his own bat. Smith has the defence; he did not have to run down the pitch to cart Sajid over midwicket, such a high-risk shot.

Was it the work of a frazzled mind when his decision-making until now has been near-faultess? The evidence is suggesting that he should give up the gloves and become number three, replacing Ollie Pope.

The rest of England’s players obediently followed - obedient, that is, to the wishes of Pakistan’s spinners. The home captain Shan Masood then knocked the runs off stylishly, even contemptuously. A target of 36 was no target. Reforming the approach of this England team is.

These are the best six batsmen in England, Stokes insists

Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum have thrown their support behind their misfiring batting order, suggesting there will be no change to the top six for the tour of New Zealand.

England’s batsmen made a record 823 for seven in the first Test before falling away badly, making just 814 in their next four innings, including being bowled out for 112 as Pakistan won the series in Rawalpindi.

England fell apart when Pakistan pivoted to turning pitches and called upon veteran spinners Noman Ali and Sajid Khan, who shared a staggering 39 wickets in two Tests.

England’s batsmen struggled: Joe Root managed just 90 runs in four innings after making 262 in Multan, Harry Brook made 56 in four innings, Zak Crawley 61 in four, Ben Stokes just 31 in four, and Ollie Pope 55 in five.

Vice-captain Pope is under particular pressure after a feast-or-famine year, but McCullum and Stokes backed their batsmen.

“There is no doubt in my mind and no doubt in Brendon’s mind that we have got the best top-six players in England,” Stokes said.

McCullum echoed those sentiments, making no excuses and refusing to blame the pitches, which were re-used (Multan) and raked (Rawalpindi) to encourage spin.

“As the conditions changed we weren’t quite able to adapt to those challenges and that is a missed opportunity,” said McCullum. “We had our chances but we ran second.

“It’s pretty much the same batting group that came here two years ago, and were outstanding in these conditions, and it’s the same batting group that put on 800 in the first Test match.

“We know when Popey gets in he gets big scores,” McCullum added. “It is not an easy place to bat at No 3. I know Popey will be disappointed with the volume of runs he has got. I expect him to bounce back in New Zealand and we will make sure he has the support around him to do so.

“We’re very confident, we’ve just got to make sure we keep allowing guys to develop and keep becoming the players that they want to become, and will benefit from that.

“You have to be honest and reflect inwardly for a period of time, working out ways we can keep adding on what we have. To get back on the horse in a couple of weeks to get back to the style of play we are more accustomed to, is a great opportunity.

“We obviously coughed up the opportunity to win the series. We did some good stuff throughout, and we leave ultimately disappointed, but also very much complimentary of how Pakistan played. But we know within ourselves that we’ve had an opportunity to have been better than that and we’re a little bit disappointed about that.

“The game we play is going to come with periods where it doesn’t go how you want, but you’ve got to hold firm and never flinch through those moments and keep persisting to where you want to get to. Eventually you will be completely comfortable with who you are as a player.”

09:29 AM BST

Nasser Hussain on Sky Sports

“It is never an over-reaction from this team. This is the second series they have lost under Bazball and that cannot be coincidence.

“It is all well Brendon talking about saying in 2022 they got 500 in a day, they were completely different conditions and pitches to this.

“Pakistan changed it because it would suit them. Saud Shakeel, he has brought up in Karachi, this is just another pitch for him. Noman Ali is brought up on flat pitches and does things to the ball before it lands.

“[Brendon] McCullum and [Ben] Stokes speak like that because they do not want to knock their players and hit their confidence because that makes a fearful side but the flip side of that is you have to learn.”

09:28 AM BST

McCullum on Brydon Carse and Jamie Smith

“[Brydon] Carse, I heard from various guys that I would love him and I do. He bowls high pace and gets good bounce.

“He is a full-hearted cricketer and he was challenged in 40 degree heat on a docile wicket. Really successful tour for him.

“The way [Jamie] Smith kept in the second Test, that is some of the hardest conditions you face, his keeping is excellent but his ability with the bat and put pressure on the bowlers, helps give us a fighting chance.

“New Zealand are going alright at the minute, it will be a fun tour. The game that we play is going to come with periods where it is not going how you want it to go but you have to stand firm and persist.

“Eventually, you will end up a space where you are comfortable with who you are as a player and our job as a coach is to accelerate that.”

09:16 AM BST

Runs dry up for Brook

Harry Brook was unbelievably good when he toured Pakistan in 2022 and started this series in emphatic fashion with that magnificent triple hundred. But since that 317 in the first Test, he has scored just 56 runs in the next four innings. He still ends the series though as the leading run-scorer.

09:14 AM BST

Your views

  • Toby Satch: “I can take getting beaten if the players at least try, put in a shift and protect their wicket.But this is beyond embarrassing. Stokes - no shot and lbw. Pathetic.And too many premeditated shots on a turning wicket against bowlers with their tails up. McCullum - you must be very proud.”

  • David Bewick: “Well there it is. Batsmen unable to play the situation or the conditions. Our spinners shown up for the trundling pie throwers they really are. Completely out bowled by the opposition spinners to the point it looked like two different wickets. Quite shocking really. Only Root can be excused as he got a jaffa.”

  • Anthony Lawrence: “The key moment in this match was England’s failure to knock over the tail at 8 down .. also our keeper’s inability to take the catch offered by their centurion which would have saved over 100 runs. Foakes would not have missed it. Pretty much the same happened in the second test when the keeper and then Root dropped the match winner. Yes the batting second time was poor but they should not have been under pressure had the catches been taken. Always play your best keeper - no chance in Australia unless they take Foakes - by a mile best keeper in the world.”

09:09 AM BST

Brendon McCullum talking to the BBC

“Obviously last series was an impressive performance from us on different types of wickets to what we saw here.

“We were very proud of that series win and what we were able to achieve but we also knew that was a bit of an outlier in terms of playing in Pakistan.

“We saw as the series went on the pitches changed quite substantially and we were not quick enough to be able to adapt to that.

“Credit goes to Pakistan for the way they shuffled their team and brought in some wily campaigners, who are very, very good in those conditions.

“They also put us under a lot of pressure and we were not able to respond. In the end, we can’t have too many complaints about the result because we had our opportunities and Pakistan were better than us.

“Winning the toss certainly could have been an advantage. I thought the score we got was not too bad, it was around par, then we probably leaked a few too many runs in Pakistan’s first innings with those partnerships at the end.

“Saud Shakeel played a fabulous innings and was able to deflect the ball on both sides of the wicket and manipulate our spin and negate the threat. He batted with the tail really well. The two spinners came in and played freely at the end and put us under pressure.

“Those lower-order runs are the difference between leading by 50 or 60 and getting the opportunity to bowl last with a total on the board, and being 70 runs in arrears. Pressure told and again last night when we lost those wickets to some really good bowling.”

09:08 AM BST

Pakistan’s spinners

Neither Noman Ali nor Sajid Khan played for Pakistan in the first Test. In the second and third Test, the two have taken 39 wickets between them and have completely out-bowled England’s spinners.

09:04 AM BST

More from Stokes, speaking to Sky

“You pick the best players and it is down to the players to go and be successful in those conditions. There is no doubt in my mind that we have the best top six players in England.

“I am always trying to adapt and evolve as a player. I have played so much cricket that the disappointment is always there and it hits hard but when you have so much experience to fall back on, it os always easier to take.

“I can safely say for myself and everyone else, that the opportunity they have been given to become better players with the time they have had out there, they have definitely done that.

“You cannot shut the door on everything because then you are being very single-minded towards what you want to do but there is no doubt in my mind that we have the best top six players in England.

“How you deal with disappointment and failure is a massive part of you as an individual. We are looking to go forward and go again in Australia.”

Ben Stokes looks on after England's defeat
A disappointing series defeat for England - Stu Forster/Getty Images

09:00 AM BST

Steven Finn on the future of Ollie Pope in this side

“Clearly, there will be question marks about Ollie Pope batting at three and whether he is a number three.

“I think they are yet to decide on the squad for New Zealand but you anticipate some kind of change there possibly.

“How do they manage that middle-order and whether they want to keep Pope around because there is clearly a very talented player in there.

“Would he be better served batting a bit further down the order or taking a break from the team?”

08:59 AM BST

Brendon McCullum full of praise for Pakistan’s spinners

08:58 AM BST

Ben Stokes talking to Sky

“The great thing about Test cricket is that it always throws challenges at you. You learn a lot about yourself as a player and individual.

“The quickness and time we have got to come over those and go to New Zealand and face a new challenge is exciting. We have two weeks to go home and look forward to the new series.

“When you walk out on the field, we are very clear with how we want to go about things and I am sure Pakistan would have been the same.

“In these last two Test matches our approach has not paid off for us but that does not mean we have doubted ourselves or the way we want to play.”

08:51 AM BST

More of your views

  • Jonathan Sawyer: “England need to face up to some selection issues.”

  • Michael Hyde: “When England beat Pakistan convincingly the side appeared to have the perfect balance, the maxim do not change a winning team appears to have been forgotten”

  • Magic Bus: “Useless. Not a great way to start the weekend.”

08:49 AM BST

Celebration time for Pakistan

Pakistan lift the trophy
A come-from-behind series victory for Pakistan - Akhtar Soomro/Reuters

08:45 AM BST

Steven Finn on BBC Test Match Special

“Pakistan’s approach in the second and third Tests highlights England’s vulnerabilities against people who bowl well on spinning pitches. That was highlighted across the India series and the last two Tests here.

“What Pakistan have done to the pitches is clearly unprecedented. They played on an eight-day old pitch in the second Test and they have raked the middle of the pitch here.

“But should England have been able to play better? I think the second Test was decided at the toss but when I look at this one, I think England were spooked on the first morning.

08:44 AM BST

Bazball’s kryptonite?

08:43 AM BST

“Schoolboyish Pope is mentally fragile”

“I have written and spoken a lot about Ollie Pope in recent months and received some blowback for it, but at the end of a really disappointing series defeat in Pakistan, I think England need to have some serious conversations about his position at No 3.

“Pope is a good player, and a great lad who clearly brings a lot to this environment, which places great stock in togetherness and getting on well. Making a big change like this is never easy, and England will not want to. But his returns suggest he does not have the mentality or technique to thrive against the very best bowlers.

To read more from former England captain Michael Vaughan, click here.

Ollie Pope walks off after being dismissed
Ollie Pope’s poor run continues - Anjum Naveed/AP

08:41 AM BST

Pakistan captain Shan Masood

“Like London buses wins come together. The first win came after a long time and it was backed up by the first series win. It is special and what it means to me, this group, the management, the board, what they have been through the last two weeks it means a lot. At the end of the day it is about characters and people you can trust. Sajid [Khan] literally bled for us yesterday. To be here standing as the winning team is the most special thing.

“There are always going to be some individual performances and Saud’s [Shakeel] knock was one of the best I have seen in Test cricket. To have that nerve to take 70 singles, helped by Noman [Ali] and Sajid [Khan]. Even players like Aamir Jamal, who did not bowl a single ball in this match. The effort, the small things combined with the big efforts that count. The message was clear; if we do the small things right, they turn into big things. There have been so many characters in this series and everyone has chipped in.

“The biggest point of satisfaction as we have had a change of conditions. For us it is about adapting to conditions and it is heartening that we have done that. Everyone from one to 11 has contributed to the batting totals.

“For me the biggest thing is progress and leaving Pakistan cricket in good hands. Doing justice to the job [captaincy] comes with huge responsibility. It is heartening to have young players coming in. It is about the whole team moving forward.”

Shan Masood celebrates winning the third Test
Some of the pressure that was on Shan Masood as Pakistan captain at the start of the series has lifted - Anjum Naveed/AP

08:33 AM BST

The thoughts of Ben Stokes

“We are obviously disappointed in losing games and the series. We got thrown some challenges over these last two games and we were just not able to match those challenges. All credit to Pakistan for the way they played over the last two games. We get faced with all sorts of challenges around the world. In a couple of weeks we go to New Zealand so we will have to try and match those then.

“The summer finished late for us at home and we had guys playing one-day cricket. The players worked really hard and we are always working on our games. But when you get out here it is completely different. The pressures of Test-match cricket can never compare to training. All you can do is work hard and try your utmost to become a better player.

“Whether you do well or not you should always try and take the positives. Regardless of the result [of the series] there have been some outstanding individual performances from players through the series. There is a lot to take out of it.

“Rehan [Ahmed] and Shoaib [Bashir] coming and playing in front of family. You do not know how much that means to them. For their parents it is massive. Two incredibly talented cricketers at the start of their careers and the only way is up for them.”

08:25 AM BST

Your reactions

  • Karen Johnson: “Disgraceful lack of application and willingness to learn by a big percentage of England’s batsmen especially after Pakistan showed how to play spin!

  • James Gregory: “Challenging conditions, but we should be able to adapt.”

  • John Hall: “Sick of these embarrassing capitulations after early test wins in India and Pakistan. Honestly.”

  • Andy Johnson: “Pope can’t be carried anymore. England need a better player at 3 and Stokes needs to contribute more.”

  • JB Fortune: “As a long suffering England fan we can take defeats away from home. We can shake our heads at brainless shots and daft tactics to bowl out tail enders. But this isn’t test cricket. The game is dying and they served up three pitches that created no fair contest between batsman and bowler. Mostly in empty stadia. You then have ECB putting up prices to crazy levels. Great stuff.”

08:20 AM BST

Jonathan Agnew on the BBC

“Ben Stokes is normally such a clear thinker, who can analyse a game like the World Cup final, can read the strategy and play as he did in that Headingley Test in 2019.

“This is someone who reads the game with crystal clarity so to be out lbw not playing a shot to a straight ball was extraordinary.

“Jamie Smith’s shot I thought was awful. A complete charge down the pitch and a swipe. That is a confused, befuddled mind playing like that.

“Whether that is the way England did go into this game with all the talk of ‘it doesn’t matter, it’s home advantage, they can do what they like’ but they’ve seen those fans and burners.

“Whether they got themselves into a negative frame of mind about this pitch before a ball was bowled on it... we will see what Ben Stokes has to say.

08:19 AM BST

Thoughts of the captains

It is time for the post-match presentations.

08:17 AM BST

Should Crawley’s place be under threat?

Zak Crawley has played just shy of 50 Test matches and averages in the low 30’s. Nasser Hussain has just said on Sky that his place should be under threat. Do you agree? You can have your say in the comments section at the bottom of the blog.

Zak Crawley walks off after being dismissed
Should Crawley’s place in the team be under threat? - Stu Forster/Getty Images

08:15 AM BST

England’s spinners

Nasser Hussain has just been speaking on Sky about Jack Leach, comparing his bowling to that of Noman Ali, who also is a left-arm off-spinner. It is pretty safe to say Pakistan’s spinners have out-bowled England’s and it is not unfair to expect more from someone like Leach in these conditions. Leach has now played nearly 40 Test matches.

08:13 AM BST

Sky Sports’ Michael Atherton

“On commentary I said I couldn’t think of a time when two players have come in mid-series and had such an impact apart from [Chris] Woakes and [Mark] Wood at the Ashes.

“Noman [Ali] and Sajid [Khan] have ripped this series large. [Shoaib] Bashir and [Jack] Leach have been out-bowled. They have been beautiful to watch. They are very different. Cricket reveals character and you can see Sajid is very expressive and passionate yet still street smart.

“Noman is more old-fashioned flight and guile bowler. And the bat, do not forget.”

08:10 AM BST

Joy for the home fans

Pakistan celebrate their victory
A series victory for Pakistan - Akhtar Soomro/Reuters

08:09 AM BST

Nasser Hussain on Sky Sports

“Congratulations to Pakistan to making that change, they lost six Tests in a row, The fans and supporters were not happy.

“Different pitches and selectors and they found the kryptonite to Bazball. They have spinners of the highest quality and they have players that play spin really well.

“It has exposed England when the ball does spin. When it spins and it is gripping, England do not play spin or bowl spin as good as Pakistan.”

08:07 AM BST

The thoughts of Ramiz Raja

“A remarkable story with Noman Ali and Sajid Khan, they had to wait over a year to make a comeback and what a grand comeback it has been.

“This is such a big victory for Pakistan from a mentality, strategy, execution and bowling point of view.”

08:02 AM BST

Dismal batting from England

Three times in the last four matches, England have been bowled out in under 40 overs.

It happened only three times between July 1909 and June 1981 - in which time England played 466 Tests.

England have been bowled out on seven occasions within the first 40 overs of their innings in Tests in Asia, three of them have come in 2024. Two of them in back-to-back matches now.

  1. 102 (26.2 overs) v India, Mumbai, 1981

  2. 81 (30.5 overs) v Sri Lanka, Galle, 2007

  3. 72 (36.1 overs) v Pakistan, Abu Dhabi, 2012

  4. 81 (30.4 overs) v India, Ahmedabad, 2021

  5. 122 (39.4 overs) v India, Rajkot, 2024

  6. 144 (33.3 overs) v Pakistan, Multan, 2024

  7. 112 (37.2 overs) v Pakistan, Rawalpindi, 2024

07:59 AM BST

Pakistan win by nine wickets and win the series

Masood does finish it with a six and Pakistan win this third Test by nine wickets and win the series 2-1. They have fought back from 1-0 down. A lot of questions for England to answer. Pakistan were in turmoil after the first Test after a horrible run of results yet England have found a way to lose this series despite utterly dominating the first Test.

07:57 AM BST

OVER 3: PAK 31/1 ( Shafique 5 Masood 17)

Pakistan captain Shan Masood is in and is not messing around. First ball he is down the ground and hits over wide mid-off for four. Next ball he reverse sweeps for four more and wants this game and the series wrapped up as quickly as possible.

Masood then uses his feet and smashes him down the ground for a third straight four. He is in a hurry.

Make that four consecutive fours as he unveils a second reverse sweep of the over.

Masood tries to finish it with a six but only gets a single down to long-on. The Pakistan captain is on 17 off just five balls.

07:53 AM BST

Wicket

Ayub LBW Leach 8  Leach thinks he has Ayub LBW but Chris Gaffaney does not agree. England do not take too long to review it. It is the right call as that was so out. That is very surprising from Chris Gaffaney to make a mistake like that as he is one of the premier umpires in world cricket. Three reds and Ayub is gone. It is not going to change the result of this match but a little boost for England in a terrible situation. FOW 14/1

07:50 AM BST

OVER 2: PAK 14/0 ( Shafique 5 Ayub 8)

It should be no surprise to reveal it will be spin from both ends as Shoaib Bashir will bowl from the other end. Shafique flicks it behind square on the legside for a couple. Bashir finds the outside edge of Shafique’s bat but it runs away for two. Never a chance though.

England appeal for a caught behind down the legside but nothing given. Ben Stokes immediately reviews. It was close to the bat but no edge so England lose their review, not that it is going to make much of a difference.

One of the biggest differences between the sides in this series; Pakistan’s spinners have clearly far out-bowled England’s.

07:46 AM BST

OVER 1: PAK 10/0 ( Shafique 1 Ayub 8)

Shafique gets off the mark third ball with a single into the legside.

Ayub goes on the attack second ball as he sweeps Leach behind square for the first boundary of the chase. He repeats that feat again next ball and Pakistan are in a hurry to get this done and dusted quickly.

07:42 AM BST

Pakistan need just 36 to win

Saim Ayub and Abdullah Shafique are walking out to the middle. I cannot imagine there are any nerves inside the Pakistan dressing room as they are so close to a series win.

Jack Leach will open the bowling.

07:39 AM BST

What have England done?

When England won that first Test in Multan, they looked destined to follow up their fantastic 3-0 series in in Pakistan from 2022. But how things have changed.

There are no excuses for England in this Test match having won the toss. When Pakistan were 177-7 yesterday, England should have had a 50-run lead. Instead Pakistan had nearly an 80-run lead and then the batting from England this morning was fairly dismal.

07:31 AM BST

Wicket

Leach st Rizwan b Noman 10  Noman sees Leach coming and fires it way outside off stump. Leach was coming down the wicket and got nowhere near it. Rizwan does the rest and that is the end of a pretty horrid England innings. Pakistan need just 36 runs to win this Test and the series. England should be embarrassed with that display. Simply not good enough. FOW 112 all out

07:28 AM BST

OVER 37: ENG 112/9 (Bashir 4 Leach 10)

Pakistan think they have the final wicket as Bashir is given out LBW. Bashir reviews and is right as it struck him outside the line of off stump so the on-field decision is overturned.

07:24 AM BST

OVER 36: ENG 109/9 (Bashir 3 Leach 8)

I am not sure I have ever seen Bashir play a reverse sweep. A first for everything. Maybe he has been talking a lot to Jimmy Anderson?! It gets him two runs.

If one of Sajid or Noman gets this final wicket, which you would imagine they will, not only would all 20 England wickets have fallen to spin, but also every over across England’s two innings would have been bowled by spin.

07:21 AM BST

OVER 35: ENG 107/9 (Bashir 1 Leach 8)

Shoaib Bashir is the last man in. He gets off the mark with a single into the covers.

Leach attempts another switch hit and misses. It strikes him on the pads and Pakistan go up with an half appeal but that is not out.

Since Brook’s dismissal it has been a horror show for England and Pakistan are not far away from a series win, which was so far away from them after the first Test in Multan.

07:18 AM BST

Wicket

Ahmed b Sajid 7  Sajid has ten in the match. Ahmed tries to sweep down to fine-leg but misses and is cleaned up. Another ugly dismissal. FOW 106/9

07:16 AM BST

OVER 34: ENG 106/8 (Ahmed 7 Leach 8)

England’s lead stands at just 29 runs, which I do not need to tell you is nowhere near enough to even remotely concern Pakistan.

Leach looks like he wants to have some fun.

07:13 AM BST

OVER 33: ENG 104/8 (Ahmed 6 Leach 7)

Jack Leach joins Ahmed in the middle. Pakistan have bowled well this morning but this pitch is not impossible to bat on. Some of the dismissals have been so poor from England. Remember Ben Stokes won the toss!

Leach gets off the mark with a four as he successfully deploys a switch hit down to third-man to bring up the England 100. Leach then drives through the covers and it should have been a run-out really. It nearly goes for a boundary but it is stopped just before the rope. Leach and Ahmed were unsure whether to come back for three and Ahmed’s indecision nearly costs him. They do come back for three.

07:10 AM BST

Wicket

Atkinson b Sajid 10  England lose their eighth wicket and are heading towards defeat here. Atkinson attempts to flick the ball away but Sajid spins it between bat and pads and beats Atkinson all-ends-up. FOW 97/8

Gus Atkinson bowled
England slip closer to defeat - Stu Forster/Getty Images

07:09 AM BST

OVER 32: ENG 97/7 (Ahmed 6 Atkinson 10)

One run from the over.

07:06 AM BST

OVER 31: ENG 96/7 (Ahmed 6 Atkinson 9)

Four runs come from the over and England’s lead is up to just 19 runs. You cannot even argue that if England somehow set Pakistan 130 to win that they could defend that as this pitch is not a complete minefield.

07:02 AM BST

OVER 30: ENG 92/7 (Ahmed 2 Atkinson 9)

England are in such a hole that even if these two bat well it will still not be enough to give England a chance.

06:59 AM BST

OVER 29: ENG 91/7 (Ahmed 1 Atkinson 9)

Rehan Ahmed has joined Atkinson in the middle. You can only imagine these two are going to be aggressive and, off the final ball of Sajid’s 14th over, he reverse sweeps four. England’s lead is just 14 runs.

06:54 AM BST

Wicket

Root c Rizwan b Noman 33  If England had any hope that has probably gone now. It is a terrific piece of bowling from Noman, to get one to spin away from Root and take the outside edge of the bat. Rizwan snaffles the catch behind the stumps A five-wicket haul for Noman and England are crumbling. To be fair to Root unlike some of the other dismissals this morning, that was a good delivery. FOW 85/7

06:48 AM BST

OVER 27: ENG 79/6 (Root 28 Atkinson 3)

Root comes down the ground and ball shoots low. It dribbles to Shafique at short-leg and, with Root down the wicket, he has to dive back into hid crease.

06:44 AM BST

OVER 26: ENG 78/6 (Root 27 Atkinson 3)

Noman gets too straight and Atkinson flicks down towards the fine-leg boundary for two which means England now lead. Mind you that lead is just one run currently.

England lead, six down. They have completely blown the advantage of winning the toss. They did this mainly at the start of the match, losing five wickets on the first morning, four of them to bad batting. And then they just could not dismiss Pakistan’s tail. It’s cost them the game.

06:42 AM BST

OVER 25: ENG 76/6 (Root 27 Atkinson 1)

Gus Atkinson is in at eight. He scored a maiden Test century during the English summer and boy do England need something like that from Atkinson right now!

06:40 AM BST

Wicket

Smith b Sajid 3  He batted so well in the first innings but that is another horrible dismissal. He comes down the ground and tries to belt Sajid through the legside but misses and is bowled. He got nowhere near it and England are imploding before our very eyes. England are sliding towards a series defeat, which let’s be honest would frankly be embarrassing against a Pakistan side who were in turmoil after the first Test. FOW 75/6

Are the missed chances getting Jamie Smith down? One crucial drop in the second Test and another here. Instead of trusting himself and his defence he went for an enormous pull drive and was beaten by the turn.

Jamie Smith bowled
England right in trouble - Stu Forster/Getty Images

06:37 AM BST

OVER 24: ENG 74/5 (Root 26 Smith 3)

England are under massive pressure and you are asking yourself how on earth they can even remotely put themselves in a position to try and win this match.

Maiden over from Noman, who has four wickets in this second innings so far.

Ben Stokes walks off his with his head in his hands after his dismissal
Every England fan’s expression right now? - Stu Forster/Getty Images

06:34 AM BST

OVER 23: ENG 74/5 (Root 26 Smith 3)

Shafique dives forward to take a catch at short-leg and Pakistan appeal for the catch but umpire Sharfuddoula Saikat shakes his head. It spun quite a way past Root’s bat so not out.

Smith uses his feet well to drive through the covers for the first three runs of his innings. He and England need plenty more of that.

A reminder England still trail by three runs and only have five wickets remaining.

06:30 AM BST

OVER 22: ENG 70/5 (Root 25 Smith 0)

Jamie Smith is in at number seven and England need a innings from Smith like he played in the first innings.

06:28 AM BST

Wicket

Stokes LBW Noman 3  That is horrible from the England captain. I cannot believe what he has just done there. He leaves the ball inexplicably and, without playing a shot, is trapped LBW. Chris Gaffaney’s finger unsurprisingly goes up and Stokes does not spend long considering whether to review. He walks off fairly promptly and I cannot really explain what was going through his mind there. A complete misjudgement England are in so much trouble here, not that I really need to tell you that! FOW 70/5

What an extraordinary leave from Stokes. He’s a great player, but a) has come completely unstuck in subcontinental conditions and b) has some truly extraordinary ways of getting out. The two second innings in this series have been staggering.

What an astonishing brain fade that was by England’s captain Ben Stokes. Of all the balls to shoulder arms to then a left arm spinner turning the ball into him and headed for the stumps was not the way to go. Astonishing too was his reaction: on bended knee he waited to pick up the ball and return it to a fielder before rising and marching off without any thought of calling for a review. He walked up the pavilion steps very slowly and into the dressing room without bashing his bat as he did once in Multan before disappearing into the dressing room, his side’s chances all but gone.

Ben Stokes walks off after being dismissed
A terrible end to Ben Stokes’ innings - Stu Forster/Getty Images

06:25 AM BST

OVER 21: ENG 68/4 (Root 25 Stokes 1)

Stokes is off the mark with a push off the back foot through the covers for a single.

Two runs come from Sajid’s tenth over.

06:22 AM BST

OVER 20: ENG 66/4 (Root 24 Stokes 0)

England captain Ben Stokes joins Root at the crease.

06:20 AM BST

Wicket

Brook c Rizwan b Noman 26  Exactly what England did not want but exactly what Pakistan did. Noman sends it through a bit faster and Brook tries to cut away but only succeeds in getting an outside edge. Rizwan takes a good catch behind the stumps and England lose their fourth wicket whilst still trailing. FOW 66/4

England’s fourth wicket pair have failed to wipe out the arrears. Harry Brook was just too frenetic this morning in particular when trying to force the ball square of the wicket even against the offbreaks of Sajid Khan. Not a percentage shot and he paid the price when dabbing at Noman.

Pakistan celebrate the wicket of Harry Brook
England did not need that - Akhtar Soomro/Reuters

06:17 AM BST

OVER 19: ENG 65/3 (Root 23 Brook 26)

Be careful there Brook! He goes back to a delivery from Sajid that turns sharply into him and he gets his pad out of the way to let his bat through. If that shoots low he is in big trouble.

Brook responds by using his feet to get a single.

These two are rotating strike well and a mis-field in the covers off the final ball allows Brook to come back for two.

England trail by 12 runs.

In the first half hour there has not been too much to worry English batsmen in the pitch. It’s just a slower turner at this stage, and the Yorkies have been able to just chip away at the lead. They look good; the worry is what happens when the partnership is broken. Panic can easily set in.

Joe Root and Harry Brook run between the wickets
Root and Brook will be fully aware of the importance of their wickets today - Aamir Qureshi/Getty Images

06:14 AM BST

OVER 18: ENG 59/3 (Root 21 Brook 22)

Root successfully deploys the reverse sweep and is rewarded with four. It is a shot that has brought him so many runs down the years and yet again it does here.

Joe Root reverse sweeps
Root goes to his trusty reverse sweep - Stu Forster/Getty Images

06:10 AM BST

OVER 17: ENG 53/3 (Root 16 Brook 21)

Root sweeps hard in front of square on the legside but gets just a single to the deep midwicket fielder.

Brook eases onto the back foot and pushes through the offside for three to bring up the England 50.

06:07 AM BST

OVER 16: ENG 48/3 (Root 14 Brook 18)

Only one run comes from Noman’s latest over, off the bat of Root.

England trail by 29 runs.

06:04 AM BST

OVER 15: ENG 47/3 (Root 13 Brook 18)

Brook is looking to advance down the ground and put the pressure back on Sajid. In this latest over he did show intelligence and not trying to hit a boundary every time he uses his feet. He recognised the ball was not quite there and just defended.

You do not need to hit a boundary every time you use your feet to put pressure on the bowler.

06:01 AM BST

OVER 14: ENG 46/3 (Root 12 Brook 18)

Root goes back to a delivery from Noman that keeps low and just gets his bat down in time to flick into the legside for one. Root got out in the first innings going back to a delivery that kept low so he needs to be careful.

Brook then delicately sweeps fine for a couple.

England trail by 31 runs.

05:59 AM BST

OVER 13: ENG 43/3 (Root 11 Brook 16)

The first boundary of the morning comes from the bat of Brook, who uses his feet and drives through the gap in the covers for four.

He uses his feet again and it is not the purest of contacts on the ball. With mid-off up, it goes over his head and runs away for four. Not necessarily the contact Brook was after but he will take that.

Drop at short-leg. It is a sharp chance to Shafqiue but he cannot hold on. Certainly not an easy chance but it will go down as a drop.

Abdullah Shafique attempts a catch at short-leg
Missed chance for Pakistan - Anjum Naveed/AP

05:55 AM BST

OVER 12: ENG 33/3 (Root 11 Brook 6)

Root sweeps behind square on the legside for two.

Four runs come from that Noman over and England trail by 44 runs.

05:51 AM BST

OVER 11: ENG 29/3 (Root 8 Brook 5)

Unsurprisingly it is Sajid Khan who will begin from the other end. Sajid and Noman have bowled in unison for the majority of the last Test match and this one. I suspect we will be seeing them bowl for the majority of this innings too.

Root and Brook are rotating strike well in these early stages of day three and keeping the scoreboard ticking over.

Apologies for the even earlier start this morning, but the scene is set for one of the great rallying partnerships in the annals of English batting in Asia. Or will it be another collapse? Pakistan immediately settle into their two fine finger spinners bowling to the two Yorkshiremen.

Joe Root and Harry Brook fist bump in the middle
This partnership will be crucial for England - Akhtar Soormo/Reuters

05:48 AM BST

OVER 10: ENG 26/3 (Root 6 Brook 4)

Noman Ali will bowl the first over of day three as England start the day trailing by 53 runs.

Brook pushes comfortably through the covers for a single to get England off the mark on day three.

Big appeal for LBW from Noman on his first ball to Root but umpire Chris Gaffaney shakes his head. Replays show an inside edge so a great decision from Gaffaney.

Root gets his first single of the day with a push down to long-off for one.

05:43 AM BST

Here we go

Joe Root and Harry Brook have made their way out to the middle, knowing just how important this session is not only to England’s chances of winning this Test match but also the series. England under huge pressure at the start of day three but if these two can bat anything like they did in the first Test they can put the pressure back on Pakistan.

05:39 AM BST

Over in Pune

India are taking on New Zealand on day three of the second Test with New Zealand 1-0 up in the series. Tom Latham’s side are 238-7 in their second innings, 341 runs ahead of India and in a good position to go 2-0 up and win the series.

05:36 AM BST

First ball

We have grown accustomed to the first ball from Pakistan coming down at 6am UK time, but this morning it will be at 5.43am due to lost overs. That is just over five minutes away so not long to wait now for the start of day three.

05:31 AM BST

“England must find way to avoid squandering Ahmed’s talent”

Rehan Ahmed’s journey from his fourth to fifth Test caps was an unhappy one. In the eight months since February, when he took 3-193 in the match in Rajkot, Ahmed was dropped by England from their T20 squad. Then, he took just 13 wickets at 60.7 for Leicestershire in Division Two of the County Championship. In the summer, Ahmed was even dropped in the Hundred.

And so there was a nagging fear among some in English cricket that Ahmed was at risk of joining an exasperating trend. In recent years there has been a comparative deluge of English leg-spinners. These things, of course, are relative: historically, English leg-spinners last scarcely longer than Agatha Christie’s characters. But since the start of 2014, five specialist leg-spinners have been picked by England: Scott Borthwick, Mason Crane and Matt Parkinson, to go with Ahmed and Adil Rashid. England swiftly discarded Crane and Parkinson; even with Rashid, there will always be a sense that his Test career could have been far more fulfilling.

For more from our deputy cricket correspondent Tim Wigmore, click here.

05:26 AM BST

“England’s failings against tail haunt them again”

At the fall of their seventh wicket a few minutes before lunch on day two, Pakistan had 177 runs, and were still 90 behind England.

But thanks to two contrasting partnerships for the eighth (88 from 151) and ninth (72 from 78) wickets, they chiselled out parity at tea then charged into a lead of 77 that by stumps looked match-defining. All out for 344, they had almost doubled their score with their last three wickets.

Alas, this is not a new problem for England. They have reinvented much of what they do under Ben Stokes, and are very good at prising out wickets in imaginative ways.

Will Macpherson analyses where England might be going wrong.

05:13 AM BST

Day three preview

The pressure is on England as they head into day three of the third Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi. Led by Saud Shakeel’s 134, Pakistan certainly had the better of day two with England finishing the day on 24-3, 53 runs behind with seven second-innings wickets remaining.

Pakistan were in trouble early on day two as they found themselves 177-7, still nearly 100 behind England’s first-innings total of 267. Shakeel was the star with the bat for Shan Masood’s side with his fourth Test century but he was ably supported down the order by Noman Ali, who scored 45 in an eighth-wicket partnership of 88 with Shakeel, and Sajid Khan, who added 48 not out to give Pakistan a 77-run lead.

Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope all fell cheaply before the close to put England under significant pressure  going into day three.

Rehan Ahmed starred with the ball for England yesterday, taking four wickets in Pakistan’s first innings. He has admitted that although Pakistan have the momentum, he retains belief that England can still win this match and the series.

“The momentum is obviously with them but we are not going to hold back from saying that we can still win the game. We have got a lot of batting to come, everyone can bat in our team. It is not nice having three down now but, while it changes things a little bit, it is not too much for us.

Rehan Ahmed bowling during day two of the third Test
Reham Ahmed still believes England can win this Test match - Stu Forster/Getty Images

“Everyone has their own way. Whatever your way is, you have to be clear with it and stick with it. That could change ball by ball or different sessions, bat in different ways. We will have to adapt as quickly as possible.

“Noman [Ali] and Sajid [Khan] did bat well. The ball did get softer, there was not as much off the pitch and once Sajid came in, hit a few sixes, they got momentum again.

“As a spin group, we tried to hold it as much as we could. Saud [Shakeel] batted very well, there is no shame in him batting well. We did what we could and now just looking forward to tomorrow.”

Joe Root will resume on five and Harry Brook on three.