England spinners removed Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq after they scored centuries Saturday as Pakistan reached 298-3 at lunch on the third day of the opening Test in Rawalpindi.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Off-spinner Will Jacks dismissed Shafique for 114, while left-armer Jack Leach had Haq for 121.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Pakistan still need another 160 runs to avoid follow-on after England finished with 657 Friday, their highest total ever against the home team.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Despite three wickets falling in Saturday's first session, the much-criticised Rawalpindi Stadium pitch offered little to the bowlers.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
At the break, skipper Babar Azam was on 28 and Saud Shakeel yet to score.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Azhar Ali was trapped leg-before by Leach on 27, but he could have gone more cheaply had Zak Crawley not dropped a sharp chance to his left at leg slip from pacer James Anderson's first over of the morning.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The centuries by Shafique and Haq meant for the first time in 146 years of Test cricket the openers of both teams reached three figures in the first innings.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Their 225-run opening stand -- a Pakistan record against England -- is also the first time in Test history that two 200-plus opening partnerships were made, following Crawley and Ben Duckett's 233-run partnership for the visitors.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Pakistan started the day on 181 without loss and Shafique, 89 overnight, was the first to three figures with a sharp single off Joe Root.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Haq, who started the session on 90, followed with a boundary off the same bowler to complete his century.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
They both now have three Test centuries and successive hundreds at the venue, having also reached three figures against Australia in March this year.<\/p>\r\n\r\n