Still, Pakistan have had no shortage of success against England’s slow bowlers in the series and Younis swept, cut and drove as often as he hopped, fenced and prodded.
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While James Anderson returned with figures of 15.1-7-17-4, Stuart Broad finished with 13-8-13-2.
Pakistan were all out for 234, with Misbah-ul-haq top-scoring with 71.
England had added three runs to their lunch score of 87-1 when Cook fell to a soft dismissal as he pushed a Yasir Shah delivery straight into the hands of short-leg fielder Azhar Ali. It was with his fifth fifty plus knock in his last six Test innings and with Sarfraz Nawaz (39) he put on a vital eighty runs partnership after half the Pakistan side were back in the pavilion for 117 runs.
Anderson’s new-ball partner Stuart Broad kept the pressure on from the other end, bowling eight of his 13 overs maiden and finishing with 2-13.
England reach 135-3 at tea on day two of the third and final Test in Sharjah, trailing Pakistan by 99 runs with seven wickets remaining.
There was one negative to come from the day for England though, as Ben Stokes had to be helped off the field following a nasty fall during the evening session.
Younis, who survived a confident caught behind appeal off Broad on 21, became Anderson’s 422nd wicket in his 110th Test.
He overturned an lbw decision against him on 22, off the bowling of Moeen Ali, but was dismissed shortly after lunch for 38, pushing leadenly at Broad.
Mohammad Hafeez (27) saw the introduction of Moeen as an opportunity to up the run rate after Broad and Anderson’s fine opening spells.
Azhar Ali, back for his first match of the series, went for a duck when England’s leading Test wicket-taker got one to bounce a little and hold its line for an edge behind on the back foot.
It is already turning sharply and with two spinners each of slow left-arm, leg and off spin variety and the Wahab Riaz and Rahat Ali angle over the wicket provides footmarks of a different kind, means all the slow bowlers will be greeted with encouragement by the deck.
“If we continue to give young players chances then it will have a better impact as we look to build the side for the two main events, Champions Trophy and the World Cup”.
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Firstly, the ball seamed on day one as James Anderson in particular, used his incredible armoury to cause all kinds of problems.
