1st Test Day 3 Live: Crawley, Root Key As England Look To Avoid Follow-On

Well then, all in readiness for the start of Day 3! The umpires Kumar Dharmasena and Sharfuddoula Saikat were seen having a chat with the Pakistani players near the ropes, not quite sure what it was about. Pakistani players now stride out after a brief huddle talk and take their respective fielding positions. Joe Root unbeaten on 32, and Zak Crawley on run-a-ball 64 to resume the innings for England. And again, there's some chatter around with the umpires and the Pakistani skipper Shan Masood.

JUST IN - David Gower on-air informs that Ben Duckett is doing well now and will most probably come out to bat today. A huge positive news for the English camp. He was struck with a left thumb dislocation on Day 2 in the process of taking the catch at the first slip, and his left hand was strapped as well. He was seen doing the fitness drills and also played some football with his teammates before the start of the day.

As we look ahead to Day 3, the pitch remains largely favorable for batting, though some signs of wear have begun to appear. Late on Day 2, the ball showed hints of grip and turn, with occasional variable bounce as well, but that wasn't as threatening for the batters at all. The Bazballers will not flinch a bit from motoring the score at a good pace, being obedient to their new embraced strategy. Pakistan, on the other hand, will be eyeing the crucial first hour of play. They'll aim to exploit any early morning assistance and potentially variable conditions to make inroads. With both teams having clear objectives, we're set for a fascinating day of Test cricket. Stay tuned as the first ball of Day 3 isn't far away.

Pakistan, buoyed by their initial success, have since been met with resolute resistance. While Naseem and Shaheen posed threats in their opening spells, the pacers have found little assistance from the pitch. The spinners have shown glimpses of grip and turn, but Crawley, in particular, has taken an aggressive approach against Abrar. Pakistan has used four bowlers so far and only a spinner. Also, with the pitch expected to wear and tear in the remaining days, we might see more spin being deployed to ambush the English batters. But it remains to be seen how effective the bowlers can be on this flat track.

England faced an early setback with the loss of captain Ollie Pope for a duck, but Zak Crawley and Joe Root have since steadied the ship, scoring at a brisk pace and dampening Pakistan's hopes of a collapse. Their ability to navigate the critical first hour will be pivotal. There's also uncertainty surrounding Ben Duckett's possibility to come out to bat after he dislocated his left thumb, an unwelcome development for the English camp following their long stint in the field.

Hello and a warm welcome to our coverage of the third day of this first Test between Pakistan and England at Multan. It has been pretty much dominated by the batters so far and the pitch is still favourable for batting. After being toiled and sweated for almost two days with the ball, England has come up with a positive intent with the bat. Although, Pakistan has a huge cushion of lead at its disposal. This 'Moving Day' can shape the narrative of the game.

... DAY 3, SESSION 1 ...

Well then, that's a wrap from Day 2. Pakistan has bossed up this match so far and would aim to continue this momentum. England, on the other hand, would be aiming to ascend with their little surge towards the backend with two well-established batters unbeaten on the crease. Day 3 is known as the 'Moving Day' in Test cricket by the pundits. So let us see how in whose favor it moves, and who dominates it. Do join us on 9th October for Day 3. The action will begin at 5 am GMT. But as you all know, you can join us an hour early for the build-up. Take care, ADIOS!

Aamer Jamal is down for a quick chat. He talks about the catch he took and says that he sets his mind every delivery, hoping that one might come his way. Adds that so far they have bowled stump-to stump which is the way to go and given the pitch is low and slow, they should bowl more into the pitch. Mentions that they will come with a good mindset on Day 3 morning and get a good first innings lead.

So whom does this day belong to? A silly question, eh? Well, Pakistan has made England field in the heat of Multan for almost six sessions - which is two whole days and have notched up above 500 runs - supported by three centurions, a fabulous 82 by Saud Shakeel, and handy contributions by the lower middle order as well.

Pakistan, replicating their batting performance, came out all guns blazing with the ball. Afridi and Naseem Shah troubled the English top order and constantly tried to create chances here and there with threatening spells in tandem. All in all, it was a job well done kind of a day for Pakistan first of course, with the bat, while they could have done much better with the ball.

Determined to erase memories of their lackluster bowling display, England's batters strode out with an aim to strike back hard. However, their resolve was immediately tested as skipper Ollie Pope fell early. However, the alliance between Zak Crawley and Joe Root eased things up a bit for England as the two constructed a productive partnership. The pitch was still flat and good for the batters to pile up runs and the two effectively dashed the hopes of a collapse to see England through the session.

The English attack endured a grueling ordeal, toiling for 149 long overs for almost two days under the unforgiving sun. Jack Leach emerged as the bright spot, snaring three wickets, while Atkinson and Carse managed two apiece. Yet, their efforts were marred by a couple of dropped chances late in the innings, adding to their frustration.

Pakistan decided to continue to bat after Tea. With the ball not doing much at all, they decided to come out with an aggressive intent.  Salman Agha and Shaheen Afridi, sensing the docile nature of the pitch, forged a blistering partnership of 85 runs off just 103 balls. Agha led the charge, crafting a masterful century, while Afridi provided crucial support with some lusty blows. Their efforts propelled Pakistan to a formidable 556, leaving England's bowlers battered and weary.

STUMPS, DAY 2 - 3rd Session Summary - 31 overs, 137, runs, and 3 wickets. With 96/1 after being toiled and soaked out in the sun for two long days, England would be quite pleased with the way they negotiated with the bat in this session. Although they have a huge mountain to climb and are still trailing by 460 runs. Pakistan would have aimed to pick a wicket or two more after an early success, but they do have a huge cushion of lead at their disposal.