At the end of day three, Pakistan were in command of proceedings, with England tottering at 88/4, still 126 behind.
Advertisement
Younis’s 218 was the centrepiece of Pakistan’s first-innings 542 all out. Younis’s sixth innings of 200 or more in Test cricket was a dramatic way for him to end a run of low scores.
Younis, now the 13 highest top run scorer in test, on the way to scored 31 runs against England in the second day of 4 test, Younis becomes the 13 most runs scored in test.
Gary Ballance (4 not out) and Jonny Bairstow (14 not out) shall resume the innings on day four for England.
Instead it is turning into a triumph for a Pakistan side who were on their knees after losing at Edgbaston but who have summoned up one last mighty effort to move within sight of a famous and deserved share of the spoils.
Doubts remain over the futures of Alex Hales and James Vince – the former making 12 to cap a lamentable Test and the latter averaging 19.27 from his first global summer after a third-ball duck – but Finn naturally talked up their talents.
The demise of Hales, who has failed to cover himself in glory both on and off the field in this final Test, somehow summed up England’s miserable plight.
James Vince, yet to make a Test fifty, was in even greater need of a score to cement his place in the side.
A 2-2 draw would certainly exceed all Pakistan’s expectations from a series that England began as firm favourites but which saw them go behind horribly at Lord’s, bounce back emphatically at Manchester and, eventually, Birmingham but then capitulate in the capital yet again.
Vince’s 158 runs at 22.57 this series left his Test future open to question. Joe Root was fluent at the other end and kept the scorecard ticking before Yasir trapped Hales plumb in front.
Root was playing nicely before he too was lbw to Yasir – and unsuccessful on review.
Younus shared a seventh-wicket partnership of 77 with Sarfraz Ahmed who was the only wicket to fall in the morning session, well caught by diving wicketkeeper Bairstow off Chris Woakes for 44.
Younis later received excellent support from Mohammad Amir in a ninth-wicket stand of 97 as the tailender frustrated England with a Test-best 39 not out.
He responded to his elevation with a composed innings of 109 and together with the experienced Younis Khan (101 not out) put on exactly 150 for the fourth wicket.
“The way I push myself and my fitness, if Allah helps me the way he has, maybe I can play some more years”, said Younis, who shepherded the tail masterfully on the fourth day, to the tune of 202 runs for the final four wickets.
Advertisement
When Pakistan’s last man, Sohail Khan, holed out to mid-on on the stroke of tea, Amir was the last man standing, unbeaten on a career-best 39 not out from 70 balls, his initial caution having given way to a florid range of strokes that ramped England’s frustrations up to boiling point.
