RAWALPINDI: Saud Shakeel scored his fourth career century in the first innings of the third Test against England at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Friday, notching up 136 runs and helping Pakistan recover from a shaky start at 7 for 177.
Coming in during a critical phase, Shakeel displayed remarkable poise and resilience. He forged a crucial partnership with Noman Ali, adding 88 runs for the eighth wicket, which significantly stabilized the innings and reduced the deficit.
After facing 222 balls, Shakeel was eventually dismissed by Atkinson in the 96th over. His innings played a vital role in lifting Pakistan’s total to a respectable 344 runs.
Sajid Khan also made an important contribution, scoring 48 runs off 48 balls, including two fours and four sixes, which injected much-needed momentum into the innings. Noman Ali supported well with 45 runs off 84 balls before being dismissed LBW by Shoaib Bashir.
Shakeel’s innings featured five boundaries, while Noman added two fours and a six. Unfortunately, Zahid Mehmood was the last wicket to fall, getting out for a duck on his first ball, bowled by Rehan Ahmed, who finished with four wickets.
In the end, Pakistan concluded their first innings at 344 runs, taking a 77-run lead over England and setting the stage for an exciting continuation of the match.