Joe Root keeps England firmly rooted vs Pakistan

Joe Root took the attack to the Pakistan bowlers with an enterprising half-century to guide England to 182-3 at close of play on the second day of the second Test in Dubai on Friday

Dubai: Joe Root took the attack to the Pakistan bowlers with an enterprising half-century to guide England to 182-3 at close of play on the second day of the second Test in Dubai on Friday.

Root, unbeaten on 76, built the innings after England lost the key wicket of skipper Alastair Cook as they fought hard against a pace-cum-spin Pakistan attack on a Dubai stadium pitch.

England’s Joe Root plays a shot during Day Two of the second Test against Pakistan in Dubai yesterday. Pic/AFP

With Root was Jonny Bairstow on 27 as England were 196 behind Pakistan’s first innings total of 378 with seven wickets intact.

The first Test in the three-match series ended in a draw in Abu Dhabi last week. Cook, who hit an epic 263 in the first Test, added 113 runs for the third wicket with Root as the pair negotiated leg-spinner Yasir Shah and left-armer Zulfiqar Babar with confidence.

They built on the early loss of Moeen Ali (one) and Ian Bell (four) and challenged Pakistan’s superior bowling attack. Cook reached his 45th half-century with a flicked boundary off paceman Imran Khan before he was caught off a leg-side push off the bowling of Shah.

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