Rock-solid Shafiq, Imam leave England toiling fruitlessly

Abdullah Shafique (89*) and Imam-ul-Haq (90*) marched towards the three-figure mark as their unbeaten 181-run alliance provided Pakistan a strong start in reply to England’s mammoth 657. Play ended early for a second day on the trot in Rawalpindi because of fading light and there was no resistance of any kind from the visitors who spent the better part of the 51 overs chasing leather. Right on cue, thirty-five of those were sent down by the spinners, who were handled adeptly by the left-right opening pair.