England grapple with Pakistan on the second morning of the final Test as the home spinners impress

England stumbled into Pakistan’s spinners on the second morning of the third and final Test in Karachi, with Joe Root among the casualties for a golden duck.

By lunch, they had recovered easily to 140 for four, thanks in part to a skillful half-century from Ollie Pope – his third total of 50 or more in five innings in that series – and another light hit from Harry Brook.

But Pope was bowled over by an unplayable delivery from Abrar Ahmed, who fell on the stump and rebounded before he could understand what was happening and England were grateful for the class of Brook, who started Abrar for two straight sixes and went in at the break 38

Pakistan’s spinners impressed on the second morning of the final friendly in Karachi

Ollie Pope (left) scored 50 goals for the visitors but fell soon after as Ben Stokes’ side struggled

With him, at 25, is Ben Stokes. England are trailing at 164 on a pitch that has continued to help the slow bowlers.

Previously, left-arm spinner Nauman Ali – in his first game of the series – found himself on a hat-trick after catching Ben Duckett leg-before for 26 and then persuaded Root to kick Agha Salman on a left-side slip as he failed to deal with a ball that spun and bounced.

It was Root’s first golden duck in Tests since the 2019 Ashes, and leaves him at 25 with 125 runs in that streak — a feat that’s at odds not only with his own expectations but with the success of his teammates.

Joe Root (right) fell for a golden duck – his first since 2019 – as his difficult tour resumed

Since starring against New Zealand and India in the summer, Root has made 171 runs on 19 against South Africa and here in Pakistan. He will be back, but his year ends on an anti-climax for now.

Duckett and Pope had batted well in the first 10 overs of the day, taking 19 of Mohammad Wasim’s first two overs in Test cricket and then reaching 50 thanks to Duckett’s six down-the-ground ahead of Abrar.

But Duckett was caught in the crease by Nauman. He asked for a review, but DRS had the point of impact outside the stump as a referee call.

Youngster Harry Brook once again provided a solid base in England’s midfield

Stokes (right) was not alongside Brook at lunch as England attempted to rebuild their innings

As Root came and went in a flash and made it 58 for three, Pakistan cheered but Brook eased the hat-trick ball to the deep point for a single and immediately rediscovered the touch that had brought him centuries at Rawalpindi and Multan.

After the departure of Pope, who left England for four in 98, Stokes batted as we’d expect – without a care in the world. He used his feet to lift Wasim over extra cover for four, then cracked Nauman through the offside for four more.

Perhaps the shot of the morning, however, came when Brook made room outside the leg stump to shove Wasim through the ceiling. At lunch England had added 133 in session and lived up to their ongoing promise to entertain, entertain, entertain.