England fought back to reduce Pakistan to 73-3 on the first day of the series-deciding third Test in Rawalpindi Thursday, after off-spinner Sajid Khan took six wickets.
Sajid finished with 6-128 and left-arm spinner Noman Ali took 3-88 after a rearguard 89 by wicketkeeper Jamie Smith enabled England to recover to 267 from a precarious 110-5 at lunch.
At the close, Pakistan captain Shan Masood and Saud Shakeel were both unbeaten on 16, with the home team trailing by 194 and the match in the balance.
On a dry and spin-friendly Rawalpindi pitch, 13 wickets fell on day one with all but one going to spin bowlers. In the final session, England off-spinner Shoaib Bashir dismissed Abdullah Shafique for 14 and left-armer Jack Leach accounted for Saim Ayub who had made 19.