Eng 74/4 I Live Cricket Score Pakistan vs England 2015, 1st Test at Abu Dhabi, Day 5: Bad light stopped play, Match drawn

Hello and welcome to CricketCountry’s live coverage of the fifth day of the ongoing first Test between Pakistan and England at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Saturday. This is Suraj Choudhari, and I shall be presenting the you the updates from the day’s play. England have managed to take a slender 46-run lead after skipper Alastair Cook scored 263, which included 18 hits to the boundary. Cook’s 528-ball innings is the third longest Test innings in terms of duration. Cook however could not surpass his highest score of 294 as he was dismissed by Shoaib Malik eventually. Ian Bell, Joe Root and Ben Stokes struck half-centuries to help their side take the lead. With the match most certainly heading towards a draw, it will be interesting to see the approach of both sides on the final day. Live scorecard: Pakistan vs England 2015, 1st Test Day 5 at Abu Dhabi

Stumps: Day 5

Live cricket score England 74/4 | 11 overs | Joe Root 32(29), Ian Bell 5(6): Runs coming in singles at the moment as Pakistan have maintained their tidy line and length. The flood lights are now functional and the game of a cat and mouse is on. The umpires again checking for the light and have called it for the day. The light has not let England yield fruitful results and it’s stumps for Day 5. Match drawn!

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Live cricket score England 69/4 | 10 overs | Joe Root 30(26), Ian Bell 2(3): Zulfiqar Babar sets Jonny Bairstow walking with a beautiful flighted delivery as he was down the track in search of a boundary. Bairstow departs for 15 and in comes Ian Bell. England now require 30 more runs to win with 9 official overs to be bowled but light will come into play as the umpires have their light meter out now OUT! Jonny Bairstow st sarfraz Ahmed b Zulfiqar Babar 15(10)

Live cricket score England 65/3 | 9 overs | Joe Root 28(24), Jonny Bairstow 15(9): Pakistan playing it smart at the moment and have introduced pace into the attack which will consume the precious time. English batsmen have breached the 50 runs mark. Bairstow plays an exception pull and gets a much needed maximum for his team and gets another boundary of the last delivery.

Live cricket score England 48/3 | 8 overs | Joe Root 28(23), Jonny Bairstow 2(4): The light keeps on deteriorating as England need more 51 runs to win. Pakistan continuing with spinners and they haven’t let them down as the English batsmen are parched for runs. Root and Bairstow need to look for couple of boundaries every over or else it would be extremely difficult for them to win this Test.

Live cricket score England 35/3 | 6 overs | Joe Root 17(14), Jonny Bairstow 0(1): The pressure is immensely high on both the teams. In a sense, the Test match has turned out to be a Twenty20 (T20). Ben Stokes perishes as he fails to get the middle of his bat and Mohammad Hafeez takes a good catch in the deep. OUT! Ben Stokes c Mohammad Hafeez b Shoaib Malik 2(4)

Live cricket score England 31/2 | 5 overs | Joe Root 11(9) Ben Stokes 1(1): England need a boundary or two every over from now onwards. Moeen Ali while looking for a big hit ended up landing into the safe hands of Shoaib Malik at deep mid-wicket. England won’t mind wickets at this stage all they need is to score runs at a quick pace. Ben Stokes has joined Root in the middle and the onus of scoring quick runs depends highly on them. OUT! Moeen Ali c Shoaib Malik b Zulfiqar Babar 11(12)

Live cricket score England 26/1 | 4 overs | Moeen Ali 10(10), Joe Root 11(9): Pakistani bowlers bowling exceptionally well but Joe Root has now started scoring runs. He earns a priceless boundary for his team as he punched one off the the back foot off Soaib Malik.

Live cricket score England 19/1 | 3 overs | Moeen Ali 9(7), Joe Root 6(7): Joe Root and Moeen Ali giving it all as the light keeps on deteriorating with every over. Pakistani spinners bowling a tidy line and length leaving no room for error. England need 80 runs to win. Anything is possible at the moment as the game is evenly poised.

Live cricket score England 14/1 | 2 overs | Moeen Ali 1(2), Joe Root (1): So spin from both the ends for Pakistan as the pitch has a lot to offer for the tweakers. Shoaib Malik has started to bowl from the other end and has drawn the first blood in the form of Jos Buttler. Joe Root has walked in next to bat. Pakistan are trying their level best to contain as many runs as possible. Moeen Ali taking his chances and trying to score runs at a brisk pace. OUT! Jos Buttler lbw Shoaib Malik 4(5)

Live cricket score England 6/0 | 1 overs | Moeen Ali 1(2), Jos Buttler 4(4): England have a small target of 99 to achieve in order to script history in Test cricket. England pushing it hard and have started off well. Moeen Ali and Jos Buttler have started the proceedings for England and both are well capable of launching an attack on any opposition. Zulfiqar Babar have been given the charge of opening the bowling for Pakistan.

Live cricket score Pakistan 173 all out  | 57.5 overs: Adil Rashid’s five-wicket haul helps England to bowl out Pakistan for a mere score of 173. England now need just 99 runs to win but the light will play a huge role in this Test. Sarfraz Ahmed and Imran Khan both nicked the ball in the safe hands of James Anderson at slip. England will come out all guns blazing and will look to achieve the set target as soon as possible. A terrific exhibition of leg-spin from rashid has turned the game on its head for England. OUT! Sarfraz Ahmed c James Anderson b Adil Rashid  27(36)

OUT! Imran Khan c James Anderson b Adil Rashid 0(1)

Live cricket score Pakistan 168/8  | 56 overs |  Sarfraz Ahmed 22(26), Rahat Ali 0(1): Pakistan in deep trouble as they lost three wickets in quick succession. The pitch is offering a lot of turn for the spinners and English bowlers are making the utmost use of it. Wahab Riaz was gloved one from Moeen Ali which was cleanly taken at short leg by Jonny Bairstow. James Anderson took a stunner at first slip to get rid of Zulfiqar Babar. Pakistan somehow have a lead of  93 runs.OUT! Wahab Riaz c Jonny  Bairstow b Moeen Ali 1(4)  

OUT! Zulfiqar Babar c James Anderson b Adil Rashid 1(7)

Live cricket score Pakistan 165/6  | 54 overs |  Sarfraz Ahmed 20(25), Wahab Riaz 1(2): Pakistani skipper Misbah-ul-Haq was guiding his team to safety and was playing a tenacious knock before he decided to take on Moeen Ali and in an attempt to do so his stumps were disturbed as his willow failed to connect the red cherry. It’s all upto Sarfraz Ahmed now as Pakistan’s tail is open but they still have a substantial lead of 89 runs. With almost 20 overs game yet to be played, england will give their best shot and try to turn things out there. OUT! Misbah-ul-Haq b Moeen Ali 51(111)

Live cricket score Pakistan 147/5  | 48 overs |  Misbah-ul-Haq 47(98), Sarfraz Ahmed 8(4): Pakistan making this Test dramatic as they continue to lose wickets at regular intervals. This time Asad Shafiq’s bat got a healthy edge when he tried to defend on flighted from Adil Rashid. The ball is turning with almost 20 overs to go England will be hoping for some turn around but with Misbah-ul-Haq out in the middle it’s going to be difficult job. Sarfraz Ahmed has scored a boundary of the first delivery he faced and if stays out there for next seven overs he will rip apart the English bowling attack with this maverick approach. OUT! Asad Shafiq c Jos Buttler b Adil Rashid 6(11)

Live cricket score Pakistan 117/4  | 42 overs |  Misbah-ul-Haq 31(74), Asad Shafiq 4(2): Younis Khan threw his wicket away with a needless stroke to Adil Rashid as the ball went high up in the air. Pakistan have gained a healthy lead of 42 runs with Misbah anchoring their innings sensibly. Asad Shafiq has joined the skipper at the crease and their primary job will be to play out the overs and remain unbeaten at stumps if possible.  OUT! Younis Khan c Ben Stokes b Adil Rashid 45(114)

Tea: Day 5

Live cricket score Pakistan 78/3  | 33 overs | Younis Khan 30(91), Misbah-ul-Haq 12(44): Pakistan have now exceeded the trail and lead by 3 runs with two of their most knowledgeable batsman at the crease. They now look well set and have started scoring runs at a quick pace too. English bowlers finding it difficult and the match will undoubtedly will be drawn until and unless and miraculous performance takes place.

Live cricket score Pakistan 58/3  | 28 overs | Younis Khan 19(72), Misbah-ul-Haq 3(32): Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq cautiously bidding their time at the crease and further not leaving any room for error. English bowlers desperately searching for a wicket and are bowling well to earn it. With tea around the corner, Pakistan will be pretty pleased to go for it without any more damage. They need to continue what they are doing at the moment as runs hardly matter at this point of the game.

Live cricket score Pakistan 52/3  | 21 overs | Younis Khan 15(55), Misbah-ul-Haq 1(8): Mohammad Hafeez in an attempt to suna single threw his wicket away when a direct hit from Ben Stokes shatter the stumps at non-strikers end. Hafeez was calm and composed but his futile dismissal has created all sorts of trouble for Pakistan. Misbah-ul-Haq has walked out to bat as Pakistan now trail by 23 runs.                 OUT! Mohammad Hafeez run out Ben Stokes 34(55)

Live cricket score Pakistan 47/2  | 17 overs | Mohammad Hafeez 34(53), Younis Khan 1(20): Mohammad Hafeez has taken the attack to the opposition and along with the experienced hands of Younis Khan sailing Pakistan out of crisis. Pakistan now trail by 28 runs and will look to continue in this manner for at least this session. English  bowlers constantly eyeing for a wicket and another scalp would provide them a big chance to dominate Pakistan.

Lunch: Day 5

Live cricket score Pakistan 20/2  | 10 overs | Mohammad Hafeez 18(32), Younis Khan 1(20): James Anderson’s spell was eye pleasing for any bowler. Pakistan’s most experienced batsmen Mohammad Hafeez and Younis Khan are taking control of their innings and are trying their level best to steady the ship. They need to bat out this session without losing another wicket along with reducing the lead. England have brought Adil Rashid into the attack and are now testing the two right-handers with some leg-spin.

Live cricket score Pakistan 3/2  | 3 overs | Mohammad Hafeez 4(11), Younis Khan 0(1): James Anderson with couple of early kills as he gets rid of Shan Masood and Shoaib Malik. The ball took the bottom edge of Masood’s bat and rolled on to the stumps and he got the better of Malik with a magnificent bouncer. Pakistan should remember that one bad session can get them in trouble. England will try to make the maximum use of the new ball and are constantly attacking. Pakistan trail by 72 runs with eight wickets in hand and will try to go for lunch without losing another wicket. OUT! Shan Masood b James Anderson 1(4)

OUT! Shoaib Malik c Jonny Bairstow b James Anderson 0(4)

Live cricket score England 598/9 decl | 206 overs | Stuart Broad 17(37), James Anderson 3(12): England have declared their innings with a healthy lead of 75 runs to their name. They now have a good opportunity to attack the Pakistani batsmen as the ball is keeping low and there is something for the spinners. James Anderson is lethal with the new ball and if he can provide England with couple of wickets in the start one can expect this encounter to take a different turn.  

Live cricket score England 597/9 | 205 overs | Stuart Broad 16(34), James Anderson 3(9): Imran Khan rips through Adil Rashid’s defenses and provides Pakistan with the first breakthrough of the morning. England now have their two premium fast bowlers James Anderson and Stuart Broad at the crease who put a huge price on their wicket and can be difficult customers to get away with. SOme of the odd deliveries are keeping low and there is a bit of the spin in the wicket which will be testing conditions for Pakistan when they come out to bat. OUT! Adil Rashid b Imran Khan 12(36)

Live cricket score England 586/8 | 200 overs | Adil Rashid 9(28), Stuart Broad 13(20): England after a promising start lost their momentum but are well ahead in the game and have now gained a lead of 63 runs with just couple of wickets to spare. The match will doubtfully conclude a result as it’s the final day of the Test and both the teams will look to bat for the maximum overs as the surface is lifeless for bowlers.

England will resume Day Five at 569 for 8, with Adil Rashid and Stuart Broad at the crease. Wahab Riaz was the pick pf the bowlers for Pakistan as he managed to pick up three wickets. Malik was not too far behind with a couple. Rahat Ali, Imran Khan and Zulifqur Babar picked up one wicket apiece. Pakistan had earlier declared their innings at 523 for 8 courtesy of a double century from Shoaib Malik, who is playing his first Test for Pakistan after a gap of five years. Asad Shafiq scored a vital century to help his side to a mammoth total. READ: Alastair Cook’s 263 guides England to 569/8 on Day 4 of 1st Test vs Pakistan

Teams:

Pakistan: Misbah-ul-Haq (c), Mohammad Hafeez, Shan Masood, Shoaib Malik, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Wahab Riaz, Zulfiqar Babar, Rahat Ali, Imran Khan

England: Alastair Cook (c), Moeen Ali, Ian Bell, Joe Root, Jonathan Bairstow (wk), Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Adil Rashid, Stuart Broad, Mark Wood, James Anderson

Catch live cricket scores and ball-by-ball commentary of 1st Test between Pakistan and England, Day 4 at Abu Dhabi here