Pakistan set England a tricky victory target of 297 and then reduced the touring side to 36/2 on an eventful third day of the second Test to stay on course for a series-levelling victory on Thursday.

Salman Agha, dropped twice early in his knock, smashed a belligerent 63 as Pakistan posted 221 all out in their second innings in the spin-dominated contest.

It left England with a substantial target to win the match and take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-Test series but their batters struggled against the turning ball on a track where spinners from both sides have done well.

England, still 261 runs behind their target, will expect vice-captain Ollie Pope (21) and batting mainstay Joe Root (12) to put their chase back on track when play resumes on Friday.

Earlier, Sajid Khan claimed seven wickets as Pakistan bowled England out for 291 to grab a handy lead of 75 at the Multan Cricket Stadium. England, resuming on 239/6, lost their remaining four wickets in the first hour.

Off spinner Sajid dismissed Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts and Shoaib Bashir to finish with impressive figures of 7/111.

Left-arm spinner Noman Ali claimed the remaining three as England lost all 10 wickets to Pakistan’s spin-heavy attack, which has Aamer Jamal as the lone seamer.

Recognising the nature of the track, England captain Ben Stokes began with spin from both ends, putting in off spinner Bashir with left-arm spinner Jack Leach.

Stokes stayed with spin even when Leach had to be rested, pressing part-time off spinner Root into service.

Bashir drew first blood when he had Pakistan opener Abdullah Shafique caught behind for four. England successfully reviewed the original not-out decision and replays confirmed the faintest of edges. Bashir (4/66) then dismissed Shan Masood for 11 after the Pakistan captain tried to flick a ball only to offer an edge to Ollie Pope at second slip.

Opener Saim Ayub (22) looked comfortable before falling to the same Pope-Bashir combination in the final delivery before the lunch break.

Kamran Ghulam, who smashed a hundred in the first innings of his debut Test, made a fluent 26 before Leach trapped him leg before.

Carse dismissed Mohammad Rizwan for 23 but could only watch in horror as wicketkeeper Jamie Smith and slip fielder Root spilled regulation catches after the seamer produced two edges in three deliveries from Salman.

Salman went on to add 65 runs with Sajid (22) for the ninth wicket before he was bounced out by Carse.

England stuttered early in their victory pursuit.

Opener Ben Duckett, who smashed a rapid hundred in the first innings, fell for a two-ball duck fluffing his sweep shot against Sajid.

Zak Crawley (3) did not last long either and was stumped after left-arm spinner Noman Ali deceived him with a flighted delivery.

Root reverse-swept the final delivery of the day for a four to signal his intention of not letting the Pakistan spinners dictate terms.

England’s assistant coach Paul Collingwood said that pulling off a win in the circumstances would be an even greater achievement than their victory last week. “I think it would, under the circumstances and the conditions that we’ve been given,” he said.

“The amazing thing is now there’s still hope, and there’s only hope because of the amazing things that these guys have done in the past…

“You look at that first Test in India (in Hyderabad), I don’t think anybody had given
us any hope of going on to win that one, but someone like Ollie Pope goes out and makes a double (196). They are capable of doing amazing things.”

Written with Reuters inputs