Pakistan Clinch Series, Move to 2nd Spot

Sharjah: Pakistan beat England by 127-runs on the final day of the third Test in Sharjah on Thursday, clinch 3-match series by 2-0.

Resuming on 46-2 in pursuit of an unlikely 284, England lost four wickets for 11 runs in the first hour and were eventually bowled out for 156.

On a pitch turning sharply, only Alastair Cook resisted with 63 and was the ninth England wicket to fall.

Yasir Shah took 4-44 and Shoaib Malik 3-26 to give Pakistan's spinners a total of 17 wickets in the match.

With series win, Pakistan move to second spot in ICC Test ratings, above Australia.

England, who have lost seven of their last nine Test matches away to Pakistan, are without an away series victory for three years and slip from third to sixth in the world rankings.

England's Adil Rashid, Moeen Ali and Samit Patel failed to make the most of helpful conditions, it was confirmed by only the 10th ball of the day.

A Yasir short ball scuttled along the ground, leaving the helpless Joe Root plumb in front.

Zulfiqar Babar accounted for James Taylor and Patel, caught at slip and lbw respectively, either side of Jonny Bairstow's ugly sweep to Yasir.

England's numbers three to seven managed only eight runs between them - the fewest for 118 years. Going back to the fourth evening, the total collapse was six wickets for 25 runs.

Only Cook had the patience, technique and fortune to resist, looking set to become the first England player to bat through a completed innings since 1997.

But he was stumped when beaten by a Malik off-break and, in the next over, Stokes fell in similar fashion to Yasir to seal England's fate.

Pakistan opener Mohammad Hafeez declared man of the match for his hundred in second innings. And Yasir Shah is the Man of the Series who misses first Test.

Brief scores
Pakistan - 234 (Misbah 71, Anderson 4-17) and 355 (Hafeez 151, Broad 3-44)
England - 306 (Taylor 76, Cook 49, Malik 4-33) and 156 (Cook 63, Yasir 4-44, Malik 3-26(
Result - Pakistan won by 127 runs
MOM - Mohammad Hafeez (Pakistan)
Man of the serie - Yasir Shah (Pakistan)

Scores	Upcoming	Results
South Africa vs Pakistan - 3rd ODI 4th Test - Australia v India - December 26-30, 23:30 GMT 1st Test - Zimbabwe v Afghanistan - December 26-30, 07:30 GMT 3rd ODI - Zimbabwe v Afghanistan at Harare Afghanistan won by 8 wickets (with 139 balls remaining) 3rd T20I - West Indies v Bangladesh at St Vincent Bangladesh won by 80 runs

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