England vs Pakistan: Asad Shafiq and Younis Khan centuries establish first-innings lead for visitors in final test

This was Shafiq’s ninth Test century and will help redeem the cricketer after he was dismissed for a duck twice in the third Test at Edgbaston

Asad Shafiq celebrates his century (Getty)

Asad Shafiq, a man who bagged a pair in his last match, and Younis Khan both scored magnificent centuries to help Pakistan establish a first-innings lead on the second day of this final Test.

Shafiq’s ninth Test century will mean even more to him on a personal level after he suffered the indignity of being dismissed for a duck twice in the third Test at Edgbaston.

The fact Pakistan promoted him from six to the pivotal No3 position in their batting order for this match despite his nightmare in Birmingham tells you how highly they rate the 30-year-old.

That change came after the tourists moved Azhar Ali up to open for the dropped Mohammad Hafeez.

But Shafiq repaid the faith shown in him with an innings that has helped give his side the opportunity to dictate terms in this contest.

Pakistan, of course, were also in a strong position at Edgbaston and went on to lose that match as England recovered from a 103-run first-innings deficit to fashion a victory that saw them establish a 2-1 lead in the series.

Alastair Cook’s side will again have to do it the hard way if they are to pull off the win here that will take them to No1 in the world Test rankings after Pakistan once more established a first-innings lead, finishing the day 12 runs ahead on 340 for six.

Time had appeared to have caught up with 38-year-old Younis, Pakistan’s all-time leading runscorer, during this series.

Younis Khan and Asad Shafiq congratulate one another (Getty)

Yet the veteran joined Shafiq in the hundred club in this match, reaching three figures for the 32nd time in his Test career, to help Pakistan overtake England’s first-innings total of 328.

The hosts can only really have themselves to blame, three dropped catches in the morning session setting the tone for a day that saw them spend 88 overs in the field.

England’s carelessness in the field has been evident all summer, the trio of missed chances on this second day taking their tally of drops to 14 in this series alone.

That they still have a good chance of winning this match, though, owes much to a brilliant spell of bowling from Chris Woakes with the second new ball that saw the all-rounder dismiss Misbah-ul-Haq, Pakistan’s captain, and debutant Iftikhar Ahmed in the space of five balls.

England’s belief is such that they will hope to limit their opponents’ lead to fewer than 50 runs when the third day resumes.

Yet to achieve that they will need to be sharper than they were on the second morning.

Yasir Shah was the first recipient of England’s charity when the nightwatchman was given a life by Alex Hales at gully after edging Woakes.

The catch was one of the easiest you are ever likely to see and the irony was not lost on a furious Hales, who had been incandescent the previous day when Yasir claimed a contentious catch to dismiss him.

Hales’ reaction to that turn of events, and his decision to visit the third umpire, saw him fined for dissent by the International Cricket Council.

After a frustrating first hour of the day, Yasir, did eventually depart, Steven Finn inducing another edge that was taken by Joe Root at second slip.

Pakistan were 52 for two at that stage and could have been put under serious pressure if Shafiq had been dismissed on seven. Instead, James Anderson put down a tough chance off Woakes at third slip and Shafiq made England pay.

Azhar, dropped on 35 by Finn after offering the bowler a sharp return catch, was the third batsman to receive a second chance.

However, at least England managed to dismiss him before he could cause too much damage, the opener sent on his way for 49 after Moeen Ali, England’s batting hero on the first day, successfully used a review to prove the Pakistani had gloved him behind.

That left the tourists on 127 for three early in the afternoon session.

A 150-run stand between Shafiq and Younis then ground England into the dirt as both batsmen made hay while the sun shone on this corner of South East London.

Shafiq looked nervy when he was stuck on 99 for 16 balls before he finally punched Moeen down the ground for one to reach three figures.

Pakistan were very much in the ascendency then. However, the three wickets that fell before they established their lead means this game is still eminently winnable for England.

Shafiq, the victim of a stunning catch by Stuart Broad at midwicket off Finn, was the first to go.

Woakes then struck twice in the same over with the second new ball to reduce Pakistan to 320 for six as Misbah, Hales this time clinging on in the gully, and Iftikhar, caught by Moeen following an errant pull, both fell.

They were still trailing by five when Younis brought up his hundred, pushing Woakes into the legside for a single.

And his team’s hopes of making their advantage a match-winning one appear to rest on Younis, who ended the day unbeaten on 101.