England leg spinner Rehan Ahmed has become the youngest man to take five wickets in an innings on Test debut, putting his team on course for a comfortable victory in the third and final Test against Pakistan in Karachi.
With two days of play remaining, England need 55 runs to win the Test and become the first Test team to complete a 3-0 whitewash in Pakistan, having won the first two Tests in Rawalpindi and Multan.
Ahmed's spin bowling proved to be the game-changer for Ben Stokes's team as wickets tumbled in clusters at the National Stadium.
England's youngest debutant, at 18 years and 126 days, became the youngest first-gamer in men's Test history to take a five-wicket haul, beating the record held by Australia's Pat Cummins from his 6-79 on debut in South Africa in 2011 when he was 18 years and 193 days old.
Ahmed helped bowl Pakistan out for 216 in the second innings, despite being made to wait 41 overs before being brought into the attack.
Spinner Jack Leach took three top-order wickets in six balls in the morning session before Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel struck a 110-run partnership to keep Pakistan in the contest.
But Stokes then introduced Ahmed in the afternoon session and the youngster ripped apart Pakistan's middle order.
The 18-year-old got his biggest scalp with one of his worse deliveries, when Babar slapped a half-tracker to Ollie Pope at mid-wicket. Ahmed later removed Mohammad Rizwan with a perfect leg-break delivery.
Saud was Ahmed's third victim before Mohammad Wasim was added to the list as the youngster was cheered on by his Pakistan-born father, who was beaming with joy in the stands.
Ahmed completed his five-wicket haul by removing Agha Salman, leading the England team off the field as he tossed the ball up and down in his hands in celebration.
Zak Crawley (41) and Ben Duckett (50 not out) made a flying start for England in their 167-run chase for victory and the visitors will begin day four at 2-112, with Stokes (10) also at the crease.
Reuters
