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Pakistan are on the verge of losing the third and final Test against England in Birmingham. The visiting side still trails the hosts by 268 runs with just eight wickets in hand and three more days left in the ongoing game. Ollie Robinson struck twice in the first over of the second innings to dismiss Saim Ayub and Abdullah Shafiqwith both batters failing to open their accounts.

Ayub was called to England as a replacement for Imam Ul Haq, who was sent back home after the Lord’s Test match. The 24-year-old, who has played nine Tests before his recent outing and scored just 364 runs at an average of 26, registered a pair on his return to the longest format of the game.

Nasser Hussain lashed out at the PCB for Ayub’s selection. “He shouldn’t be here. He was playing in the CPL and hasn’t played any first-class cricket for a while. I don’t know who thinks it is right for someone to fly a player who has been playing a different format and think he will be fine to face up against a Dukes ball against Ollie Robinson.

“It is sort of disrespect and disregard for Test cricket, as any cricketer will tell you this is the toughest format. Batting at the top of the order in England is the toughest task, and if you feel flying someone in from another part of the world works, then good luck,” Nasser Hussain said on SKY Sports.

Hussain also recalled Virender Sehwag’s failures in England. Stuart Broad was also present during the show.

“Virender Sehwag tried it on this ground, if you remember. I don’t know if you (Stuart Broad) were playing in that game. They flew in, and Virender Sehwag got a pair. And that’s Virender Sehwag, who was a better and more experienced player than Saim Ayub. So a bit of responsibility goes to the lad for the shots he played. But also to whoever thought that was a seriously good decision and that he was going to go okay this week.”

Ayub lasted ten balls in the first innings before falling for a golden duck, with Ollie Robinson taking his wicket for the second time. If it wasn’t for Azan Awais and Shan Masood’s partnership, then Babar Azam‘s side could have lost a few more wickets before rain ended the day’s play.

England batters put Pakistan bowlers to the sword

Having started the day at 156 for 4, Harry Brook and Dan Lawrence went on the offensive right from the word go. When the English white-ball skipper was looking good for a ton, he was run out for 75.

Lawrence and Jamie Smith then added 54 runs for the sixth wicket in just 73 balls before the former was out for 65 runs. Smith carried on and scored another Test fifty and fell for 69 runs off 84 balls.

Robinson struck his second Test fifty and helped England move past 400. The 32-year-old was out for 50 off 47 balls with seven boundaries and a six. Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue added 44 runs for the last wicket to frustrate the visiting side. Mohammed Ali broke the stand when he got rid of Tongue for 15 runs.