Exciting finish on the cards as Pakistan chase 343

Pakistan have reached 257-5 while chasing a target of 343 runs against England in Rawalpindi on the fifth and final day of the first Test.

At lunch, Azhar Ali and Agha Salman were unbeaten on 37 and 30 runs respectively.

Pakistan need another 86 runs with a minimum of 40 overs remaining in the day.

England claimed two wickets in the post-lunch session which ensured that all four results are still possible in the enthralling Test match.

Rizwan was dismissed after Anderson found the edge of his bat with wicketkeeper Ollie Pope completing a simple catch behind the stumps. The right-hander scored 46 runs with the help of six fours and two sixes.

Debutant Saud Shakeel looked set to score a century before a loose drive in the air on the bowling of Ollie Robinson ensured that he was caught at short cover by Keaton Jennings. The left-hander notched up 76 runs with the help of 12 fours.

Earlier, England only managed to pick up one wicket in the morning session as Imam-ul-Haq was caught down the leg-side on the bowling of James Anderson. The opener scored 48 runs with the help of eight fours.

Pakistan lost Abdullah Shafique (6) and Babar Azam (4) on day four of the Test match.

It must be noted that England plundered runs on a lifeless wicket in Rawalpindi in the first innings. The visitors were finally all out for 657 — including a record 506 from the first day Thursday — with four batsmen scoring centuries off the hapless Pakistan bowling.

In reply, three Pakistan batter scored centuries as the home side posted 579 in their first innings.

In the second innings, England batted a run-rate of over seven to set Pakistan a daunting target of 343 runs.

England are on their first Test tour of Pakistan since 2005, having declined to visit in the interim years on security grounds.

The second Test is in Multan from December 9-13, and the third in Karachi from December 17-21.

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