The sun beamed over an empty Rawalpindi ground as England faced Pakistan in the third Test. After winning the toss, England opted to bat first with openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett. The pair started strong, reaching a comfortable 54/0 in 13 overs. However, the partnership was cut short when Noman Ali dismissed Crawley, sparking an overly jubilant celebration.
On the final ball of the 14th over, Ali bowled a fuller delivery, slightly wide of off stump. The ball floated slowly through the air as Crawley leaned forward to drive but mistimed it, playing with hard hands. The top edge sent the ball straight to backward point, where Saim Ayub was perfectly positioned to take a simple catch. Ali erupted in celebration, while Mohammad Rizwan added a bit of flair with a playful dance as the rest of the Pakistan team joined in, as if it were a significant victory. Meanwhile, Twitter poked fun at the team and Ali’s exaggerated reaction to the wicket.
First one
Gone
Third time
Need one more
Good job
Rivals now
Done
Masterclass
Batting first
First braekthrough
