Razaullah Heroics and Masood's 95 Set England 130 Target on Day Four
A magnificent ninth-wicket stand spearheaded by Razaullah and Shan Masood's resilient 95 guided Pakistan to 449, setting England a 130-run target on day four.
An extraordinary lower-order fightback spearheaded by Razaullah turned the tide on day four, enabling Pakistan to post a total of 449 and set England a target of 130 runs for victory.
Top-order stability had earlier been established by Shan Masood, whose composed 95 set the baseline for Pakistan's second-innings response before a quick cluster of wickets threatened to derail their resistance.
England appeared poised to wrap up the tail quickly after making key breakthroughs in the middle sessions, but Pakistan's lower order refused to surrender without a fierce contest.
Razaullah led an astonishing ninth-wicket partnership that yielded over a century of crucial runs, frustrating the English attack and draining away momentum from the visiting side.
The protracted stand forced visiting captain Ben Stokes to constantly tweak his field placements and rotate his frontline pacers and spinners on a grinding surface.
By the time the final Pakistan wicket eventually fell, the hosts had stretched their lead beyond the hundred-mark, creating a tricky late-game pursuit for the visitors.
England now require 130 runs on a deteriorating fourth-day pitch where variable bounce and turn could test their aggressive batting approach in the closing hours.