England set total of 40 for Pakistan: Younis & Shah takes Pak to brink of victory
THE OVAL: Younis Khan’s 218 in the first innings and Yasir Shah’s five-for in the second helped Pakistan ride roughshod over England at The Oval on Sunday to level the series 2-2.
With this win, Pakistan has levelled the four-match Test series 2-2.
Leg-spinner Yasir took five wickets for 71 runs as England, in their second innings, slumped to 253 all out, setting Pakistan a target of 40 runs.
Pakistan chased it down in 13.1 overs, with all 10 wickets in hand. Sami Aslam and Azhar Ali were unbeaten on 12 and 30 respectively when Pakistan completed the target.
In the morning session, Pakistan picked up two wickets including the key one of Moeen Ali as England were reduced to 194 for six at lunch. Pakistan was in the driving seat on the fourth day of the final Test match against England, as the hosts could only manage to hand the tourists an easy target of 40 runs to chase.
Azhar Ali and Sami Aslam looked comfortable in chasing the target, as Pakistan were already 16/0 at Tea. The hosts only require 24 more runs to clinch the final Test match of the series.
Thanks to Yasir Shah’s five wickets and a couple of early wickets from Wahab Riaz, Pakistan dismissed England for 253. The hosts, who trailed by 214 runs, could only manage a lead of 39 runs and hand Pakistan an easy target of 40 runs.
Johnny Bairstow happened to be the pick of the English batsmen, who was dismissed at 81 runs. His latest innings took Bairstow to 992 Test runs in 2016 and in sight of breaking Zimbabwe great Andy Flower´s record for most Test runs scored by a wicket-keeper in a calendar year of 1,045 set in 2000. The match seemed to tilt in Pakistan’s favour after Moeen Ali was dismissed by Yasir Shah, caught behind by wicket-keeper Sarfraz Ahmad.
If Pakistan win at The Oval, they will end the four-match series all square at 2-2. England gave Pakistan a total of 40 runs to win the fourth and final Test of the four match series being played at The Oval. The hosts were bowled out for a total of 253 runs in the 2nd innings.
Yasir Shah was the star-performer for Pakistan with the ball as he picked up his five wickets whereas Wahab picked two wickets.With an individual score of 81, Jonny Bairstow was the leading scorer for England in the second innings. Joe Root was the other top-scorer with 39 runs.
Wahab picked up the all-important wicket of Bairstow as he played a drive towards the cover but was caught by Azhar Ali at extra cover.
Pakistan were bowled out for 542 in the 1st innings of the match as Younis Khan played a brilliant knock of 218 runs and Asad Shafiq scored 109 runs. Pakistan were 214 runs ahead of England s 1st innings total of 328. England resumed the fourth day of the fourth and final Test at 88-4.
England lead the four-match series by 2-1.
