Bazball once again illuminated the stage against Pakistan, with Harry Brook and Ben Duckett rekindling memories of their heroics from 2022. This time, however, they were joined by the maestro himself, Joe Root. On Day Three of the first Test in Multan, England marched forward with a commanding performance, leaving Pakistan grappling for breakthroughs.

England resumed the day at 96 for 1, with Crawley picking up where he left off, sending an overpitched delivery from Shaheen Afridi to the boundary. However, Shaheen soon struck gold, sending Crawley back to the pavilion. Jamal, stationed at mid-wicket, showcased his skills with a catch on the second attempt, igniting hopes for Pakistan.

With Duckett joining Root at the crease, England’s approach remained unwavering. Duckett quickly settled in, launching into Abrar Ahmed with a series of boundaries, reminding everyone that Bazball was alive and well. His attacking mindset, combined with Root's calm presence, set the tone as they racked up runs at a brisk pace. Despite the early wicket, England’s aggression showed no signs of wavering.

A huge missed opportunity for Pakistan arose when Duckett edged a ball that sailed between the keeper and first slip. Duckett, riding his luck, notched up his fourth fifty against Pakistan, building on his impressive record where he has five 50+ scores in 7 innings against Pakistan in tests.

The morning session was dominated by England, who added 136 runs for the loss of just one wicket, showcasing their attacking style. As the session progressed, Masood rotated his bowlers in search of the elusive breakthroughs, but luck seemed to evade them. With England surpassing 200 runs, Duckett and Root formed a formidable partnership, accumulating runs at will. Duckett’s fearless batting was complemented by Root’s elegant strokes, culminating in a 100-run partnership that showcased their dominance. As Root drove through the covers, he achieved another milestone, surpassing Sir Alastair Cook to become England's highest run-scorer in Test cricket.

As the teams headed into lunch, Pakistan had only managed to take one wicket, leaving them to ponder their next move. The second session saw Jamal finally break through, dismissing Duckett with a review that proved to be a pivotal moment. Harry Brook entered the fray and wasted no time, hammering the ball to the boundary, demonstrating his love affair with Pakistani bowling.

Brook continued his assault, treating the Pakistani bowlers with disdain as he raced to a half-century. Shaheen Afridi's attempts to find reverse swing met resistance as Brook unleashed a barrage of shots, leaving the bowlers reeling. The scoreboard continued to tick, and England marched past the 300-run mark, with the deficit shrinking steadily.

Root and Brook showcased their partnership's strength, reaching 150 runs for the fourth wicket, further tightening England's grip on the match. Pakistan's frustration grew, as they seemed to be one step behind throughout the day. With only two wickets falling in the entire day, it was a tough pill to swallow for the hosts.

Despite Abrar's wicketless spell, Masood remained hopeful and introduced part-timer Shakeel in a bid to break the deadlock. A chance arose when Brook nearly edged one, but the bails remained steadfast, leaving Pakistan feeling the weight of missed opportunities.

As England reached 400, their partnership continued to flourish, with Brook bringing up his century. His innings not only showcased his talent but also marked him as the first player to score a hundred in four consecutive Tests on Pakistani soil—a remarkable achievement that highlighted his class.

The day drew to a close with England firmly in control, their deficit reduced to just 64 runs, leaving Pakistan pondering their next moves. Head Coach Jason Gillespie, reflecting on the day, emphasized the need for his side to focus on their own performance and come out swinging on Day Four.

" We suspect England's approach will be to bat and try to get a lead before having a crack at us.," Gillespie stated. " However, we can't control how they play; we can only focus on our own performance. We need to come out first thing in the morning and hit the ground running. We still have a ball that isn’t too old, and if we can take a couple of wickets early and get into their all-rounders, we can build from there. That's the attitude we’re going to have. Our bowlers haven’t had a heavy workload; Abrar bowled a lot of overs today, but our fast bowlers are fresh after a rest tonight. They'll come back ready to go, and we’ll try to crack it open tomorrow morning"

With the pitch offering little assistance and England’s batter in fine form, hosts face an uphill battle in the remaining days of the Test.