Opener Azan Awais and former captain Shan Masood scored half-centuries as Pakistan reduced England’s first-innings lead to 136 runs by lunch on the third day of the third Test at Edgbaston on Friday.
Resuming on 52-2 after recovering from 0-2 late on the second day, Awais and Shan continued their resistance, batting fluently to bring up their respective fifties and add 125 runs for the third wicket.
Dan Lawrence eventually ended the stand by dismissing Awais for 59.
Captain Babar Azam then joined Shan at the crease, with the pair putting on an unbroken 59-run partnership for the fourth wicket before the interval.
At lunch, Pakistan were 184-3, still trailing England by 136 runs with seven wickets in hand. Shan remained unbeaten on 83, while Babar was not out on 26.
Earlier on the second day, the home side raced to 453 at more than five runs an over in response to Pakistan’s paltry first-innings total of 133 to make victory almost inevitable.
But worse was to come for the much-changed visitors, who found themselves 0-2 after four balls of their second innings, with Saim Ayub and Abdullah Shafique back in the pavilion, both dismissed by Ollie Robinson.
But Awais and the experienced Shan ensured there was no more immediate drama, steadying the ship to reach 52-2 at stumps.
