Having reduced Pakistan to 77-4, England endured a ragged final session in the field on day three, allowing Pakistan to amass a lead of 296. Salman Agha top-scored with 63 off 89 balls before England were able to bowl the hosts out for 221.

In response, Ben Duckett was dismissed by Sajid Khan off the third ball of the innings, undone attempting a big reverse sweep which he got a top edge on. Zak Crawley was also out early, stumped by Mohammad Rizwan off a loopy delivery from Noman Ali, to leave England 11-2. That was the last England wicket to fall in the evening session, and they will need another 261 runs to win the game.

If England are to pull off the miraculous victory, they will have to chase the highest fourth-innings total ever by a touring team in Pakistan. That record was set by Sri Lanka in 2000 in a match in Rawalpindi, when they chased 220 with just two wickets to spare.

The highest chase overall in Pakistan was set by the home side in 1994 against Australia. In that game in Karachi, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mushtaq Ahmed stuck together for a 57-run final wicket partnership to chase down 314.

England will be slightly short of the highest chase overall in Asia if they do manage to take the win, however. That record was set by West Indies in 2021 in Chattogram against Bangladesh, when they chased 395 in the fourth innings thanks to debutant Kyle Mayers’ double hundred.

Full list: Highest fourth innings totals chased in Pakistan

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