PAK Vs ENG, 2nd Test: Match Headed Towards Exciting Finish As Hosts Need 157 Runs To Win After Day 3

Pakistan finished the day on 198-4 and needs a further 157 to deny England a second successive victory in the three-match series.?

England, which held a 79-run first innings lead, had set up another imposing target of 355 runs on a deteriorating Multan Cricket Stadium wicket after it was bowled out for 275 in its second innings.

The tourists had already successfully defended 342 runs on a flat wicket in the first test to clinch a 74-run win at Rawalpindi in England's first test in Pakistan for 17 years.

The left-handed pair of Imam, who made 60, and Saud Shakeel (54 not out) had thwarted England's seam and spin for just over 2-1/2 hours and shared a 108-run stand before Imam played a lose drive against Jack Leach and was caught in the slip late in the last session.

The left-hander put his head down in despair before leaving the field as Leach provided the much-needed breakthrough.

Both left-handed batters showed grit and determination and used their feet well against England's spinners until Imam's miscue.

England had earlier missed an opportunity to dismiss Imam soon after he completed his half-century. Television replays showed a tiny spike on Imam's bat when he tried to glance Mark Wood down the legside delivery and was well caught by Ollie Pope. However, captain Ben Stokes didn't go for the referral.

James Anderson, OIlie Robinson and Wood had baffled Pakistan with a superb display of seam and swing bowling in the middle session, claiming three wickets for 17 runs before Imam and Shakeel dug in and took Pakistan to 136-3 at tea.

Imam didn't open the innings after feeling discomfort in his right hamstring and went to the hospital for MRI scans, but batted without much trouble at No. 5 though Will Jacks had a chance to end his innings, but couldn't hold onto a sharp return. Harry Brook also couldn't grab a low one-handed catch at forward short leg when Shakeel was on 4.

Brook had earlier hit his second successive century and made 108 off 149 balls before England was bowled out for 275 to set up another imposing target in the series.

In the absence of Imam, Abdullah Shafique (45) and Mohammad Rizwan (30) batted fluently and provided a confident start of 66 before England's seamers started to pressure the home team after lunch.

Anderson dismissed Rizwan immediately after the break off a ball that left the right-hander just enough to knock back his off stump. Babar Azam (1) struggled for 10 balls against the seamers before he offered no shot to Robinson's sharp incoming delivery and was also clean bowled.

Wood switched ends and went through the defenses of Shafique with a sharp fast delivery as Pakistan slumped to 83-3.

Earlier, spinner Abrar Ahmed prospered again and snared a match haul of 11-234, becoming only the second Pakistani after Mohammad Zahid to take 10 wickets on a test debut. Fast bowler Zahid took 11-130 against New Zealand at Rawalpindi in 1996.

Brook continued his rich run of form that helped England win the first test by 74 runs at Rawalpindi, where he hit two belligerent knocks of 153 and 87.

Resuming Sunday on 202-5, already 281 runs ahead, Stokes (41) stretched the sixth-wicket stand with Brook to 101 runs as England scored at a brisk pace before losing five wickets for just 19 runs.

Brook, 74 overnight, raised his second hundred with a pulled boundary from left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz before Stokes fell to a brilliant running catch by Mohammad Ali at deep mid-wicket.

Ahmed, who took 7-114 in the first innings, claimed his fourth second-innings wicket by having Robinson clean bowled off a googly before legspinner Zahid Mahmood (3-52) took the last two wickets in one over shortly after England's lead crossed the 350-run mark.

Brook, who hit 14 fours and a six, was caught in the outfield when he swept Mahmood to deep square leg and Anderson was trapped leg before wicket.