PICS: Pakistan in driver's seat as England batters falter

IMAGES from Day 3 of the 2nd Test played between Pakistan and England in Multan, on Thursday.

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Pakistan set England a tricky victory target of 297 and then reduced the touring side to 36 for two on an eventful third day of the second Test to stay on course for a series-levelling victory in Multan, on Thursday.

Salman Agha, dropped twice early in his knock, smashed a belligerent 63 as Pakistan posted 221 all out in their second innings in the spin-dominated contest.

It left England substantial total to win the match and take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-Test series but their batters struggled against the turning ball on a track where spinners from both sides have done well.

England, still 261 runs behind their target, will expect vice captain Ollie Pope (21) and batting mainstay Joe Root (12) to put their chase back on track when play resumes on Friday.

Post tea, Salman went on to add 65 runs with Sajid (22) for the ninth wicket before he was bounced out by Carse.

England stuttered early in their victory pursuit.

Opener Ben Duckett, who smashed a rapid hundred in the first innings, fell for a two-ball duck fluffing his sweep shot against Sajid.

Zak Crawley (three) did not last long either and was stumped after left-arm spinner Noman Ali deceived him with a flighted delivery.

Root reverse-swept the final delivery of the day for a four to signal his intention of not letting the Pakistan spinners dictate terms.

Earlier, Pakistan lost two wickets in the post-lunch session but stretched their overall lead to 209 on day three of the spin-dominated second Test against England on Thursday.

Saud Shakeel, batting on 30, led Pakistan's push for a series-levelling victory on a track where most batters from both sides have struggled against the sharply turning ball.

Salman Agha was lucky to be batting on 12 at the other end having been dropped twice in the same Brydon Carse over.

Stokes stayed with spin even when Leach had to be rested, pressing part-time off-spinner Joe Root into service.

Kamran Ghulam, who smashed a hundred in the first innings of his debut Test, made a fluent 26 before Leach trapped him lbw.

Carse dismissed Mohammad Rizwan for 23 but was denied another success because of England's sloppy catching.

The seamer produced two edges in three deliveries from Salman but wicketkeeper Jamie Smith and slip fielder Root floored them.

Pakistan grabbed a handy lead of 75 runs against England before slumping to 43 for three in their second innings on day three of the second Test in Multan on Thursday.

Pakistan off-spinner Sajid Khan claimed seven wickets as the hosts bowled out England for 291 in the spin-dominated contest at the Multan Cricket Stadium.

On a track where the ball turned sharply and shot-making was difficult, England off-spinner Shoaib Bashir then delivered three huge blows to keep England in the contest.

Kamran Ghulam, who smashed a hundred in the first innings of his debut test, was batting on five having lost partner Saim Ayub (22) on the stroke of lunch.

England captain Ben Stokes began with spin from both ends due to the nature of the pitch, putting in off-spinner Bashir with left-arm spinner Jack Leach.

Stokes stayed with spin even when Leach had to be rested, pressing part-time off-spinner Joe Root into service.

Bashir drew first blood when he had Pakistan opener Abdullah Shafique caught behind for four. England successfully reviewed the original not-out decision and replays confirmed the faintest of edges.

Bashir dismissed Shan Masood for 11 after the Pakistan captain tried to flick a ball only to offer an edge to Ollie Pope at second slip.

Saim looked comfortable before falling to the same Pope-Bashir combination in the final delivery before the lunch break.

England had earlier resumed on 239-6 and lost their remaining four wickets in the first hour to concede a first-innings lead of 75 to the hosts.

England were 291 all out in reply to Pakistan's first-innings total of 366.

Off-spinner Sajid dismissed Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts and Bashir to finish with impressive figures of 7-111.

Left-arm spinner Noman Ali claimed the remaining three as England lost all 10 wickets to Pakistan's spin-heavy attack, which has Aamer Jamal as the lone seamer.

Ben Duckett smashed 114 for England but several of their frontline batters failed to convert starts into big knocks.

England hold a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series.