England spinners strangle Pakistan in 3rd test

England spinners Jack Leach and Rehan Ahmed stifled Pakistan on a slow turning wicket as the home team stumbled to 177-6 in the third and final test on Monday.

Leach grabbed three wickets in the space of six deliveries before lunch and the young Ahmed snapped up three within 17 balls late in the second session to leave Pakistan ahead by 127 runs at tea on Day 3.

Ahmed sparked a middle-order collapse when he broke a threatening 110-run stand and removed half century-makers Babar Azam (54) and Saud Shakeel (53).

Babar, who became the fourth test player to complete 1,000 runs in 2022, played an overambitious pull against Ahmed's short ball soon after completing his half century and the Pakistan captain was smartly caught by Ollie Pope at short mid-wicket.

Ahmed, who became youngest England test player at the age of 18 years, 126 days, then picked up the wickets of Mohammad Rizwan (7) and Shakeel in successive overs to seize complete control.

Shakeel followed up three previous half centuries in his maiden test series with another defiant fifty before he top-edged a sweep against Ahmed and was caught by Leach at square leg. Babar and Shakeel had defied spin and pace for 2 hours, 45 minutes after Leach's triple strike had reduced Pakistan to 54-3.

Both batters used their feet against the spinners well and braved a barrage of short pitched balls from Mark Wood and Ollie Robinson before Ahmed boosted England's hopes of a rare 3-0 sweep in Pakistan with his quick wickets.

England won the first two tests by 74 and 26 runs, respectively, on flat and slow turning pitches with its aggressive brand of test cricket.

After trailing by 50 runs on the first innings, Pakistan was ahead by just three runs when the top order crashed against Leach on a wicket where spinners have dominated.

Former captain Azhar Ali had a disappointing end to his 97-test career as the 37-year-old fell without scoring in his last innings when Leach knocked back his off stump with a sharp turning delivery.

England players applauded and shook hands with Azhar before he took the final guard with his wife and two sons among a sparse crowd at the National Stadium.

But Azhar lasted for only four balls against his former Somerset teammate Leach before the England players again shook hands with him for one last time. Azhar was accorded a guard of honor by his teammates on the edge of the boundary line as he slowly walked back into the dressing room.

Resuming on 21-0, Shan Masood (24) started promisingly, smashing Joe Root for three boundaries and a six before the offspinner was taken out of the attack after two overs.

Abdullah Shafique wiped off the 50-run deficit with a pulled boundary against Mark Wood's 140 kph bouncer before Leach struck thrice without conceding a run.

The left-handed Masood was bowled playing an extravagant reverse sweep as the ball clipped the bottom edge of his bat before hitting leg stump.

Four balls later, Leach sent Azhar packing and then pinned Shafique (26) plumb lbw on the front foot to leave Pakistan on the mat.