England vs Pakistan 2020, 1st Test, Day 3, Manchester, Highlights: Wickets Tumble As ENG Fight

3:29 PM IST

We are all set to begin Day 4! The England players make their way out to the middle, followed by Yasir Shah and Mohammad Abbas.
2:55 PM IST

Pakistan, on the other hand, are still ahead in the game despite their horror show in the final session of Day 3. They now would need Yasir Shah to add some quick runs and then their bowlers to continue what they did in the England’s first innings to take the lead in the 3-match series. The spinners will be eager to bowl again, judging by the spin that this pitch has offered so far. This might be the last day of the Test as well. Do join us in a while.
2:55 PM IST

Welcome everyone! England have made a roaring comeback in this game but they still have a long way to go. First, they need to pick up the two remaining wickets as quickly as possible and then bat better than they did in the first innings. It won’t be easy against the bowling of Pakistan on this wicket which has started to take some serious turn and bounce and they have two quality spinners in the line-up. They would hope that they play their best level of cricket and take a 1-0 lead.
2:54 PM IST

… Day 4, Session 1 …
11:46 PM IST

Pakistan, on the other hand, will be pleased with where they stand in the game! However, they were unable to push home the advantage that they got after bowling out England earlier on in the day courtesy Yasir Shah’s four-fer. They though would know that this is not a lead which is daunting but on this wicket and with the bowlers they have, they will back themselves to defend it. They though will somehow hope the last two wickets can drag this lead to over 260. Anything above 255 or 260 will give them that psychological edge. Day 4 promises to be a cracker, it could well be the last day of the Test too. Do join us for all the action at 1100 Local (1000 GMT). Until then, cheers.
11:40 PM IST

What a lionhearted performance by the English bowlers in this session! It is because of them that England are back in this game. Yes, Pakistan are still ahead but England surely won’t feel out of it. Root was excellent in this final phase of the day. His changes, his field placements and his reviews were pretty good. His bowlers backed him up, they bowled short spells but effective ones. Woakes, Broad and Stokes were brilliant. Bess too was impressive. The performance in the last session has given England momentum heading into Day 4.
11:39 PM IST

43.6 Ben Stokes to Mohammad Abbas, no run, Full ball on middle, Abbas pushes it to mid on. STUMPS ON DAY 3.
11:38 PM IST

43.5 Ben Stokes to Mohammad Abbas, no run, Outside off, not played at.
11:38 PM IST

43.4 Ben Stokes to Mohammad Abbas, no run, Good length ball down the leg side, Abbas lets it go to the keeper.
11:37 PM IST

Mohammad Abbas is the next man in.
11:36 PM IST

43.3 Ben Stokes to Shaheen Afridi, out, OUT! CAUGHT! What a nasty delivery from Stokes! You cannot keep him out of the game! He failed with the bat but he is delivering big time with the ball! Short ball around middle, Afridi looks to fend it away but gets a glove on it and it lobs towards gully. Burns comes ahead and takes the simplest of catches. Pakistan are effectively 244 for 8.
11:35 PM IST

43.2 Ben Stokes to Shaheen Afridi, no run, Back of a length ball on off, Afridi blocks it to point.
11:35 PM IST

43.1 Ben Stokes to Shaheen Afridi, no run, Good length ball on middle, Afridi defends it back to the bowler.
11:34 PM IST

Ben Stokes has a change of ends. 3-0-11-1 are his figures so far.
11:34 PM IST

42.6 Dom Bess to Yasir Shah, no run, The batsman has nudged the ball fine down the leg side.
11:33 PM IST

42.5 Dom Bess to Yasir Shah, no run, Full on the pads, Shah pushes it to mid on.
11:33 PM IST

42.4 Dom Bess to Yasir Shah, no run, On middle, Yasir dances down and defends it out.
11:33 PM IST

42.3 Dom Bess to Yasir Shah, no run, Shah had no idea where that went! Floated ball on middle, Yasir looks to flick but gets a leading edge. It lobs towards the off side but no harm done.
11:32 PM IST

42.2 Dom Bess to Yasir Shah, no run, Tossed up ball on off, Yasir blocks it to the off side.
11:32 PM IST

42.1 Dom Bess to Yasir Shah, no run, Flatter on middle, Shah flicks it to square leg.
11:31 PM IST

Dom Bess is back into the attack.
11:30 PM IST

41.6 Stuart Broad to Shaheen Afridi, 2 runs, On a length on the pads, Afridi flicks it to the fine leg region for a couple.
11:30 PM IST

41.5 Stuart Broad to Shaheen Afridi, no run, Full delivery outside off, Afridi lets it go to the keeper.
11:30 PM IST

41.4 Stuart Broad to Shaheen Afridi, no run, Good length ball on off, Afridi solidly defends it to cover.
11:30 PM IST

41.3 Stuart Broad to Shaheen Afridi, no run, BEATEN! Excellent delivery! Good length ball outside off, Afridi looks to defend but fails to get any bat on it.
11:28 PM IST

41.2 Stuart Broad to Yasir Shah, 1 run, Full ball on the pads, Yasir flicks it to fine leg for a single.
11:28 PM IST

41.1 Stuart Broad to Yasir Shah, FOUR, FOUR! Useful runs for Pakistan! Short ball around middle, Shah looks to pull but gets a top edge and the ball goes to the fine leg region for a boundary.
11:26 PM IST

40.6 Ben Stokes to Shaheen Afridi, no run, On a good length on off, Shaheen defends it off the back foot.
11:26 PM IST

40.5 Ben Stokes to Shaheen Afridi, no run, Good length delivery on middle, Afridi keeps it out.
11:25 PM IST

40.4 Ben Stokes to Shaheen Afridi, no run, BEATEN! On a good length and outside off, Afridi looks to defend but misses it.

Hello and welcome to CricketCountry’s live coverage of Day 3 of the first Test between England and Pakistan at Old Trafford, Manchester.

The new ball pair – Shaheen Afridi and Mohammad Abbas – didn’t waste time to adapt to the conditions.

They were on the money straightaway and as a result, the hosts found themselves struggling at 12/3. Afridi removed Rory Burns (4) in the first over of the innings, while Abbas sent both Dom Sibley (8) and Ben Stokes (0) back to the pavilion. Stokes was cleaned up by a beauty from the ever-accurate Pakistani seamer.

Yasir Shah got the ball to turn and managed Joe Root’s scalp. The England skipper, who scored 14(58), never looked comfortable at the crease.

Ollie Pope (46), playing just his 11th Test, showed great maturity to remain unbeaten at stumps. Jos Buttler (15*) was at the other end.

Earlier, Shan Masood’s excellent knock led the tourists to 326 all out. Masood became the sixth Pakistan batsman to cross the three-figure mark in three consecutive Test innings after Zaheer Abbas, Mudassar Nazar, Mohammad Yousuf, Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq.

Masood batted for nearly eight hours to score 156 (319b, 18×4, 2×6), surpassing his 135 against Sri Lanka in Karachi in December 2019.

Masood received support from Shadab Khan (45) as the duo stitched together a 105-run sixth wicket stand that turned the tide after Pakistan, at one stage, were struggling at 176/5.

Pakistan had managed just 48 runs for the loss of three wickets in Thursday’s first session.

Stuart Broad and Jofra Archer were the pick of the bowlers for England with 3/54 and 3/59 respectively.