Sports News | Leach's Triple Strike Leaves Pakistan Struggling in 3rd Test
Get latest articles and stories on Sports at LatestLY. England leftarm 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.
Karachi, Dec 19 (AP) England leftarm 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 on 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 honor by his team-mates 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 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. AP
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)