Teenager Ahmed demolishes Pakistan as England poised for 3-0 whitewash

KARACHI, AFP: Teenage leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed became the youngest debutant to take five wickets in an innings and set England on course for a victory after three days of play in the third and final Test in Karachi on Monday.

Ahmed, who at 18 years and 126 days old on Saturday, became the youngest man ever to play a Test for England, grabbed 5-48 to bundle Pakistan out for 216, giving his team a target of 167 runs with 75 minutes and two days to play.

Openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett plundered 87 by the 12th over before spinner Abrar Ahmed dismissed Crawley for 41 and Rehan Ahmed for 10.

Duckett was unbeaten on 50 and skipper Ben Stokes 10 as England, 112-2 at the close, need just 55 runs to inflict a first-ever whitewash on Pakistan on their home soil.

England, on their first Test tour of Pakistan in 17 years, won the first Test in Rawalpindi by 74 runs and the second in Multan by 26 runs.

Pakistan fell prey to a spin-assisting National Stadium pitch, losing their last seven wickets for a mere 52 runs, with skipper Babar Azam scoring 54 and Saud Shakeel 53.

Rehan Ahmed said he felt great after his performance. “I don’t think it has sunk in yet, but yes I am very grateful,” he said, admitting Azam’s scalp was special despite it being a poor ball.

“I bowled better balls and not got wickets, so to get a wicket is nice, especially when it is Babar.” Rehan Ahmed built on fellow spinner Jack Leach’s three wickets off just six balls in the morning session by taking his first three off just 17.

He left Australian fast bowler Pat Cummins behind who, at 18 years 193 days old, took five wickets in his debut Test against South Africa at Johannesburg in 2011.

Surprisingly, Ahmed had not bowled in the first session, which saw Pakistan reach 99-3.