3rd Test: Pakistan win series 2-0

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Pakistan took nine wickets as the hosts defeated England by 127 runs to take the three-Test series 2-0 in Sharjah on Thursday.

England started the day needing 238 runs for a series-levelling victory with eight wickets in hand. But Yasir Shah and Zulfiqar Babar made early inroads, dismissing the top order within the first hour.

Captain Alastair Cook offered solid resistance, scoring 63 off 164 balls as Yasir picked up four and Babar ended with three.

Earlier at the end of day four’s play, another Pakistani spinner Shoaib Malik had grabbed two early wickets to hit England hard.

Malik, due to quit Test cricket after this match, trapped Moeen Ali (22) leg-before and then bowling out Ian Bell (nought) in successive overs.

England’s best chase in all Test cricket is the 332 they made against Australia at Melbourne in 1928 while they have not reached more than a 209-run target in Asia, achieved against Bangladesh at Dhaka five years ago.