Pakistan, England series-deciding 3rd Test kicks off today

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (AP): Pakistan has retained its spin-heavy team for Thursday's series-deciding third Test against England as both sides anticipate another dry wicket that will suit the slow bowlers.

The groundsmen have been trying to dry out the track for the last four days, with the help of industrial-sized fans and outdoor heaters, to fulfil the wish of Pakistan skipper Shan Masood to nullify England's aggressive batters.

Left-arm spinner Noman Ali and off-spinner Sajid Khan claimed all 20 England wickets in the second test, on a recycled wicket in Multan, to level the series at 1-1. England had won the series opener by an innings after it posted a record-breaking 823-7, with Harry Brook scoring a triple century and Joe Root making a career-best 262. The third specialist slow bowler, leg-spinner Zahid Mahmood, bowled six wicketless overs in England's first innings, and was not even required in the second innings as the visitors folded for 144 against Ali and Khan to lose the 2nd Test by 152 runs.