England held off Pakistan's fightback to end day three of the second Test on top, with the late dismissal of Imam-ul-Haq teeing up a nail-biting finish in Multan.
Pakistan made a flying start as England were bowled out for 275 in the opening session, and despite being reduced to 83-3 after lunch, the hosts appeared to be in the ascendency thanks to a fine partnership between Imam (60) and Saud Shakeel (54 not out).
There was a final twist as the light drew in, however, as Imam handed Joe Root a simple catch at slip, leaving England requiring six wickets for a series victory as the momentum shifted once more.
The fact England began the day 202-5 owed much to a fine knock from Harry Brook, and the right-hander wasted little time in bringing up his second Test century as the tourists built a 355-run lead.
However, Pakistan soon had their first wicket of the day when Mohammad Ali produced a terrific catch in the deep from Ben Stokes (41), before the Test's breakout star Abrar Ahmed claimed his 11th of the match to remove Ollie Robinson (3).
But it was Zahid Mahmood who took centre stage with a three-wicket haul as England were all out for 275, bowling James Anderson (4) lbw after handing Shakeel a catch from Brook (108).
Pakistan's hopes of chasing down their target looked forlorn when England claimed three quickfire wickets after lunch, the highlight being Robinson's terrific seamer to skipper Babar Azam (1).
The hosts initially made light of those dismissals as Imam and Shakeel took up the mantle, but the former's wild swing at Jack Leach's routine delivery could prove costly.
Root was on hand to make the catch at close quarters, dealing a serious blow to Pakistan's chase at the end of a topsy-turvy day.
Brook repeats the trick
Brook made the third-fastest Test century in England history as Brendon McCullum's men got off to a flying start to the first Test last week, and while his second ton was not quite as emphatic, it could prove equally crucial.
The 23-year-old's century – his second in three Test appearances – gave England something to defend as Pakistan began their fightback.
Zahid and Imam efforts in vain?
Zahid was the star of the opening session as his three-wicket haul helped cut England's second innings short, with this display representing a vast improvement on his underwhelming debut in the first Test.
Imam, meanwhile, looked to have put Pakistan on course for a successful chase with his knock of 60, but his late swing at Leach's ball may end up costing his side the match.
IPL: Gaikwad inspires CSK to emphatic victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad
Ruturaj Gaikwad inspired Chennai Super Kings to a 78-run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League.
CSK lost by six wickets to Lucknow Super Giants in their last outing, but they bounced back in emphatic fashion on Sunday.
Captain Gaikwad was in rampant form, plundering 98 runs from 54 balls, a knock that included 10 fours and three sixes, while Daryl Mitchell added a useful 52.
Tushar Deshpande subsequently picked up the mantle with the ball, taking 4-27, including dismissing Hyderabad's top three - Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma and Anmolpreet Singh.
Aiden Markram offered some resistance with a 26-ball 32, but once skipper Pat Cummins also fell to Deshpande, the game was all but up.
Jaydev Unadkat was the final one to tumble, as Hyderabad were bowled out for 134 and saw CSK move above them into third in the standings.
Data Debrief: Gaikwad on Kohli's heels
With 447 runs across nine innings, Gaikwad is now second on the list of leading run scorers in the IPL this season, behind only the great Virat Kohli (500).
Gaikward, though, has the better strike-rate at 149.49, while he is averaging 63.86.
Hayley Matthews leads from the front as West Indies Women take 2-0 lead over Pakistan Women with seven-wicket victory at Karachi
In yet another stunning performance, West Indies Women’s captain Hayley Matthews led her team to a commanding seven-wicket victory over Pakistan Women, securing a 2-0 lead in their five-match T20 series in Karachi on Sunday.
Matthews showcased her all-round prowess by first starring with the ball, taking an impressive 3 wickets for just 25 runs to restrict Pakistan Women to 121-7 in their allotted 20 overs. Despite a resilient 55 from Muneeba Ali, the hosts struggled against the visitors’ bowling attack, with Matthews leading the charge. She received support from Chinelle Henry, Karishma Ramharack, and Afy Fletcher, each claiming a wicket to stifle Pakistan’s batting efforts. Matthews also contributed to a crucial run-out that ended Pakistan’s innings.
With a manageable target of 122 for victory, Matthews continued her dominance, opening the batting for West Indies Women. She began her innings aggressively, smashing 10 boundaries on her way to a match-high 58 runs off just 43 balls. Her attacking display laid a solid foundation for the run chase.
Supported by contributions from Shemaine Campbelle (21) and Chedean Nation (unbeaten 17), Matthews guided her team to victory in emphatic fashion, sealing the win with 10 balls to spare.
Matthews’ outstanding performance with both bat and ball underscores her invaluable role as a leader and key player for the West Indies Women’s team. Her contributions have been instrumental in securing consecutive victories against Pakistan Women, setting a strong foundation for the remainder of the series.
The West Indies Women will look to build on this momentum as they aim to maintain their winning streak and clinch the series against Pakistan Women in the upcoming matches.
Motie's heroics lead West Indies A to victory over Nepal in T20 thriller: Series level at 1-1
In a thrilling encounter at Kirtipur, Gudakesh Motie emerged as the standout performer for West Indies A, propelling his team to a crucial victory over Nepal in the second T20 International to level the five-match series at 1-1. Motie's exceptional all-round display, featuring an unbeaten 33 off just eight balls and impactful bowling, played a pivotal role in securing the win.
Batting first, West Indies A faced early setbacks but rallied behind Andre Fletcher's resilient 43 and Captain Roston Chase's 23. However, wickets fell at regular intervals, leaving the team in a precarious position at 115 for 7. When Fletcher departed, the onus fell on Motie to provide a late surge. With only 13 balls remaining, Motie unleashed a blitz, smashing two fours and four sixes to power his team to a competitive total of 160 for 7. Matthew Forde contributed with an unbeaten 11 as Sagar Dhakal and Kushal Bhurtel each picked up crucial wickets for Nepal.
In response, Nepal's captain Rohit Paudel led the charge with a magnificent 71 off 48 balls, keeping his team in contention. However, Nepal's batting struggled against the West Indies A bowling attack, with only Gulsan Jha offering notable support with 26 runs. Motie continued to make an impact with the ball, claiming 2 crucial wickets for 244 runs alongside Obed McCoy, who showed signs of returning to form with his 2 for 24.
Despite Paudel's heroics, Nepal fell short in their chase, ultimately conceding victory to West Indies A by 10 runs. Motie's exceptional performance earned him the Player of the Match award.
The third match in the series is set for Wednesday, May 1, 2024.
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