Pakistan push toward victory in second Test

Pakistan grabbed three key wickets including the scalp of captain Alastair Cook to close in on victory in the second Test against England after Younis Khan smashed a century in Dubai on Sunday.

Pakistan need another seven wickets to force a 1-0 lead in the three-match series after Younis Khan's brilliant 118 helped them set a daunting 491-run target for England.

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The first Test ended in a draw in Abu Dhabi.

At the close England were 3-130 with Joe Root unbeaten on a fighting 59 and Jonny Bairstow on six not out, the tourists still needing 361 for an unlikely victory or requiring to bat out the final day on a weary Dubai stadium pitch.

It will be a tough task for the England batsmen as the pitch was offering turn with leg-spinner Yasir Shah and left-armer Zulfiqar Babar posing a real threat.

Earlier Pakistan declared 35 minutes after lunch, with Younis scoring his 31st century, Misbah-ul-Haq 87 and Asad Shafiq making 79.

England were tottering at 2-45 at tea but Ian Bell (46) and Root defied Pakistan's probing bowling during their 102-run stand for the third wicket and looked to take the visitors safely to stumps.

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But Babar broke the partnership when he spun a sharp delivery which Bell tried to leave but gloved to slip, where Younis took an easy catch.

Pakistan reviewed the not out decision by Australian umpire Bruce Oxenford and were duly rewarded. Bell hit four boundaries during a 121-ball stay at the crease.

Root edged Shah through the slips to complete his 16th Test half-century, and his 12th 50-plus score in 2015 - a new record for an England batsman, beating Keith Fletcher's 11 in 1973.

He has so far hit five boundaries in his resolute 134-ball knock.

It was Khan who provided Pakistan with an early wicket, forcing an edge of Ali's bat to slip where Younis took the catch.

Cook, who scored 65 in the first innings and 263 in the first Test, failed to keep a sweep off Shah down and was smartly caught at deep square-leg by Wahab Riaz.

Earlier, it was Younis who set the tone for a big target.

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Pakistan's leading run-scorer punched paceman Stuart Broad to the point boundary for his 11th four to reach three figures off 193 balls, his third hundred against England.

He was finally dismissed as he tried to pace the run-rate, skying a catch off leg-spinner Adil Rashid. In all he hit 13 boundaries during his 354-minute knock.

Pakistan, resuming on 3-222, looked for quick runs.

Misbah had scored a brilliant 102 in Pakistan's first innings of 378, but failed to add to his overnight 87.

He played an uppish shot to a slower delivery from fast bowler James Anderson which landed in the safe hands of Cook at mid-off.

Misbah hit eight boundaries and five sixes in his enterprising 147-ball innings.

England's bowlers toiled hard to check the flow of runs as leg-spinner Adil Rashid conceded 107 runs before finally getting a wicket.

Ali trapped Shafiq leg-before wicket to finish with 1-60. Shafiq hit eight boundaries in his 112-ball knock. He added 113 runs for the fifth wicket with Younis.

Misbah declared the innings at the fall of Shafiq's wicket.

Anderson with 2-22 and Mark Wood 2-44 were the most successful bowlers.

The third and final Test starts in Sharjah from November 1.