|| AFP || 

Pakistan were in a strong position to win the second Test and level the series after removing both England openers on a tricky Multan pitch on Thursday with spinner Sajid Khan their hero.

The hosts set England a daunting target of 297 before Sajid dismissed Ben Duckett (nought) and fellow spinner Noman Ali had Zak Crawley (three) to leave England on 36-2 after day three.

Ollie Pope and Joe Root were unbeaten on 21 and 12 respectively with 261 still needed for victory and two days left.

Before that, middle-order batsman Salman Agha scored 63 and together with Sajid (22) lifted the home side from a precarious 134-5 with a ninth-wicket stand of 65, taking Pakistan to 221 in their second innings.

England spinners Shoaib Bashir (4-66) and Jack Leach (3-67) had set the visitors on course for another victory but England did not help themselves, dropping Agha on four and then six.

In the end, it was Brydon Carse (2-29) who dismissed Agha, caught in the slip, before fellow pacer Matthew Potts had Sajid to wrap up the innings.

Pakistan, who made 366 in their first innings, trail the three-match series 1-0 following an innings loss in the first Test, also in Multan.

Earlier, off-spinner Sajid took 7-111, his second five-wicket haul, to bowl England out for 291 on a turning pitch, recycled from the first Test when it was a batting paradise.