Teenager Rehan Ahmed gets first wicket as Pakistan reach 204-5

Teenage spinner Rehan Ahmed got his first wicket for England before Pakistan reached 204-5 at tea on the opening day of the third and final Test in Karachi on Saturday.

After making history by becoming the youngest player to debut for the side at 16 years and 126 days, Ahmed dismissed Saud Shakeel in his seventh over for 23.

Shakeel failed to keep a defensive shot down as Ollie Pope dived forward to take a brilliant catch, one of two wickets Pakistan lost in the session.

At the break, skipper Babar Azam was unbeaten on 71 and Agha Salman on one after Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat on a National Stadium pitch that has a slow turn.

Azam and Shakeel added 45 for the fourth wicket. Azam has batted superbly, stroking eight boundaries so far.

Mohammad Rizwan also failed as he lofted a catch off a Joe Root full toss for 19.

In the first session, Pakistan lost three wickets. Azhar Ali — playing his last Test — fell at the stroke of lunch when he gloved a catch to a diving wicketkeeper Ben Foakes off pacer Ollie Robinson.

Azhar and Azam added 71 for the third wicket, repairing the innings after opener Abdullah Shafique fell for eight and Shan Masood 30.

Sensing the pitch would take spin, England started the attack with left-arm spinner Jack Leach, who trapped Shafique leg-before in the sixth over of the day.

Masood fell to the trap of short bowling as he pulled fast bowler Mark Wood straight into the hands of deep fine-leg fielder Leach.

Masood hit five boundaries while Azhar had six hits to the ropes.

Hard-pressed to avoid their first-ever whitewash in a home series, Pakistan made four changes with Azhar, Masood, Mohammad Wasim and Nauman Ali drafted in the side.

England, who lead the series 2-0, brought Foakes and Ahmed into the side.

Before Ahmed, Brian Close was the youngest England debutant at 18 years and 149 days when he played against New Zealand in 1949.

Teams:

Pakistan: Babar Azam (captain), Abdullah Shafique, Azhar Ali, Shan Masood, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, Agha Salman, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim Junior, Abrar Ahmed, Nauman Ali

England: Ben Stokes (captain), Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ben Foakes, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Mark Wood, Rehan Ahmed

Umpires: Joel Wilson (WIS) and Ahsan Raza (PAK)

Tv umpire: Marais Erasmus (RSA)

Match referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)