Azan and Shan Half-Centuries Lead Gritty Pakistan Fightback at Edgbaston

BIRMINGHAM: Shan Masood and Azan Awais put together Pakistan's most disciplined batting display of the summer, fighting through a tense morning session to keep England’s clinical pace attack at bay on Day 3 at Edgbaston.

Resuming on a precarious 52 for 2 and still staring down a massive 268-run first-innings deficit, the duo combined for an unbroken century stand. In doing so, they ensured Pakistan did not shed a single wicket before the first interval, grinding down the initial venom of a swinging Duke ball.

Blunting Robinson's Threat

With overcast conditions offering plenty of assistance early on, England immediately searched for the lethal edge that had demolished Pakistan’s openers for ducks late on Day 2. Ollie Robinson, operating with a ruthless economy rate of just over one run per over, gave nothing away.

But where Pakistan’s top order has repeatedly capitulated this series, Masood and Awais showed the necessary technical adjustment. The left-handed Awais left exceptionally well outside his off-stump, refusing to dangle his bat at Robinson’s probing length. Masood, meanwhile, played close to his body, using soft hands to ensure any aerial deviations fell well short of Ben Duckett and Jordan Cox in the slip cordon.

Milestones Fuel Post-Collapse Recovery

As the lacquer wore off and the pitch began to settle under the heavy Birmingham skies, the scoring opportunities opened up. Joe Root rotated Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue into the attack to disrupt the rhythm with extra pace, but the Pakistani pair held firm. Masood targeted the leg-side gaps, ticking over the strike with crisp glances, while Awais unleashed a couple of authoritative cover drives that found the boundary ropes.

The session’s defining framework came via the Azan and Shan half-centuries. Masood was the first to cross the line, raising a fighting fifty that held immense weight given his recent form. Awais followed minutes later, capitalizing on an overpitched delivery from Tongue to reach his own half-century off just 72 balls. It was a vital milestone for the 21-year-old opener, who grew visibly more confident with every passing over.

The Road Ahead

By the time lunch arrived, the partnership had safely breached the 100-run milestone, steering Pakistan to 125 for 2. While England remains firmly in the driver's seat with a commanding 203-run cushion, this morning’s defiance means a three-day finish is no longer a foregone conclusion.