Twitter Reactions: Saud Shakeel’s gritty ton leads Pakistan’s fightback on Day 2 of the third Test

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On Day 2 of the third Test match between Pakistan and England at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, the contest intensified as Pakistan aimed to recover from a shaky start. After England posted a total of 267 runs in their first innings, Pakistan ended the day scalping 3 wickets at 23, leading by 53 runs. The day was marked by a resilient performance from Saud Shakeel, who scored a commendable century, and Rehan Ahmed‘s bowling effort for England.

Pakistan’s struggle continues on Day 2

Resuming the day at 73 for 3, Pakistan faced an uphill battle against an aggressive English bowling attack. The morning began with Shan Masood and Saud Shakeel at the crease, tasked with stabilizing the innings. However, Masood’s dismissal for 22 runs to Shoaib Bashir set the tone for a challenging session. He edged a delivery to Ollie Pope at slip, leaving Pakistan at 92 for 4.

Rehan, making his first appearance of the series, quickly made his mark. He dismissed Mohammad Rizwan and Agha Salman in quick succession, both falling victim to his leg-spin. Rizwan was trapped LBW attempting a sweep shot, while Salman edged to slip after being deceived by Rehan’s drift. By lunch, Pakistan were struggling at 187 for 7, with Shakeel holding firm on 72 runs.

Also READ: Twitter reactions: Sajid Khan puts Pakistan ahead despite England bowlers’ late comeback on Day 1 of the 3rd Test

Saud Shakeel’s resilience turns the tide for Pakistan

The afternoon session saw Shakeel continue his fight against the English bowlers. He reached his half-century off 92 balls and showcased his ability to rotate the strike effectively. Partnering with Noman Ali, they added crucial runs for the eighth wicket. Their partnership of 50 runs came off just 79 balls, demonstrating a shift in momentum as they began to accelerate.

Shakeel’s century came off 181 balls and included four boundaries. His innings was characterized by patience and precision, particularly against spin bowling. However, Ali fell shortly after lunch when he was given out LBW after a successful review by England. Despite losing partners around him, Shakeel remained steadfast. The innings saw several reviews; notably, Pakistan challenged decisions that went against them but were unsuccessful in overturning them. This included a review for Ali that was upheld and another for Shakeel that went in favour of the batter.

As tea approached, Pakistan crossed the 250-run mark with Shakeel continuing to anchor the innings alongside Sajid Khan. Their ninth-wicket partnership added significant runs quickly, reaching 50 runs in just 32 balls before Shakeel was dismissed for 134 runs.

Eventually he final session saw Pakistan’s innings come to an end at 344 all out in 96.4 overs. The lower order contributed valuable runs but could not prevent the collapse that followed Shakeel’s departure on 134.

England’s shaky start to their second innings

After bundling out Pakistan for 344, England began their second innings cautiously but faced immediate pressure from Pakistan’s bowlers. Early wickets fell as England struggled to settle in against Sajid and Noman’s disciplined bowling. By stumps on Day 2, England had reached only a handful of runs (23) losing 3 wickets but faced an uphill task as they looked to set a good target for the hosts further in the coming days.

Here’s how Twitter reacted:

Also READ: PAK vs ENG: Fans erupt as Saud Shakeel’s century revives Pakistan’s fortunes against England on Day 2 of 3rd Test

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