Pakistan slumped to 133 all out on the opening day of the third Test at Edgbaston on Wednesday after the latest in a series of woeful batting displays that have marred their tour of England.
Pakistan, already 2-0 down in the three-match series, banished seven players and sacked both head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and assistant Umar Gul after a heavy 194-run defeat in the second Test at Lord’s.
They fielded three debutants among four changes to their side in Birmingham but the reshuffle, unsurprisingly, made little difference.
The visitors made early inroads into England’s batting, reducing them to 35-2 at tea but are facing an uphill task to force their way back into the game.
England captain Joe Root won the toss and chose to field in helpful, overcast conditions.
Pakistan’s batsmen again had few answers to the new-ball pair of Ollie Robinson (3-15) and Jofra Archer (3-25).
Fellow paceman Josh Tongue then got in on the act with 4-42 as Pakistan were dismissed in just 33.5 overs — their shortest innings of the series.
Only Saud Shakeel, fresh from his 97 at Lord’s, offered any resistance by a specialist batsman with 43 before tailender Mohammad Abbas was last man out for 21.
Pakistan’s latest slump started when recalled opener Saim Ayub was out for a duck, lbw to a typical Robinson nip-backer as the 32-year-old took his 100th Test wicket.
Azan Awais and Abdullah Shafique both fell cheaply and Pakistan were 26-4 inside 10 overs when the experienced Shan Masood holed out, tamely attempting to pull Archer.
Pakistan captain Babar Azam, without a Test century in nearly four years, was dismissed for just seven, clean bowled by an excellent Tongue delivery that jagged back off the seam.
And Pakistan were 64-6 when wicketkeeper Ghazi Ghori, one of the three Pakistan debutants, along with Mohammad Imran and Razaullah, was lbw to Tongue.
Pakistan, who have lost 15 of their past 20 Tests, were seven down before lunch when Tongue bowled Imran with a brilliant yorker that broke a stump.
Razaullah fell shortly after lunch and Shakeel’s impressive 47-ball innings, including seven fours, came to an end when he was bowled by a seaming Tongue delivery, with Pakistan now 107-9.
Abbas batted gamely before edging Archer to second slip.
Mohammad Ali then had Duckett edging carelessly into the slip cordon before Jordan Cox was plumb lbw to Abbas.
That left Root, not for the first time in his long career, arriving with England in trouble at 24-2.
But both Root and under-pressure opener Emilio Gay made it through to tea.
Source: Khaleej Times