Mark Wood gives England hope of winning second Test with double strike
The paceman removed Mohammad Nawaz and Saud Shakeel in consecutive overs
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Your support makes all the difference.Mark Wood claimed two crucial wickets before lunch to halt Pakistan’s victory charge and give England hope of winning the second Test in Multan.
Having started the fourth morning on 198 for four and needing 157 more runs to level the series, the hosts were boosted by Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Nawaz’s 80-run sixth-wicket stand.
But Wood removed the pair in consecutive overs, for 94 and 45 respectively, to leave Pakistan 291 for seven with 64 runs still needed to win.
Shakeel had been the key man for his side, reaching his highest Test score of 94 from 213 deliveries, but Wood had him caught behind by a diving Ollie Pope on the stroke of lunch.
The decision was reviewed and the third umpire took a long time studying the catch before determining that wicketkeeper Pope did manage to get his gloves under the ball, and he was given out agonisingly short of a maiden Test century.
Before that, Pope also held on as Nawaz – who played with more freedom than Shakeel – tickled Wood behind down the leg side.
At the start of the day, England had turned to their veteran bowler James Anderson, but it was Joe Root who took the first wicket.
Faheem Ashraf became the Yorkshireman’s 50th Test scalp when he edged to Zak Crawley at slip for just 10.
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