Harry Brook became the first centurion of the second Test at Multan as England set Pakistan a target of 355 to win on day three at Multan.
Despite the absence of opener Iman-ul-Haq, who was sent to hospital for a scan on a hamstring injury, Pakistan were 64 without loss at the lunch break, requiring a further 291 runs to level the series.
Brook needed just 20 minutes of play at the start of the morning of day three to become the first centurion of the second Test in Multan.
His ton came from 137 balls and was brought up with a pull over midwicket after he started the day on 74. He was eventually caught on the boundary – trying to push the score on as quickly as possible – off the bowling of Zahid Mahmood and departed for 108 from 149.
However, his batting partner in Ben Stokes was unable to bring up a milestone of his own, having resumed on 16.
Stokes equalled Brendon McCullum’s record for number of sixes in Test cricket, but was caught in the deep trying to take edge past the current England head coach’s total and was caught in the deep off Mohammad Nawaz for 41.
Ollie Robinson was the next back to the dressing room with the England wickets falling thick and fast at Multan, after he was bowled for just three, with Abrar Ahmed claiming his 11th match wicket.
The wickets continued to tumble as Mark Wood – who scored 36 not out in the first innings – poked Zahid to Babar Azam at slip for just six, with England 270 for eight.
James Anderson was trapped lbw by Zahid as England were bowled out for 275, with the focus shifting to the tourists’ bowling.
Wood thought he had made the first breakthrough and was using his pace to trouble the Pakistan batters, but the bounce was keeping low.
Mohammad Rizwan, standing in for Imam at the top of the order, was given out for a ball that skidded onto the pad, but he successfully overturned the review with DRS showing a significant inside edge.
The wicketkeeper then went on to hit Wood for six in the final over before lunch, and went into the interval on 28 alongside Abdullah Shafique on 34.
