England struck late to sever a crucial partnership with Pakistan on matchday three of the second Test in Multan.
Imam-ul-Haq and Saud Shakeel added 108 for the fourth wicket and moved the hosts halfway through their quest for 355.
But Jack Leach, who struggled throughout the day, slipped Imam past Joe Root for 60.
Shakeel stays on 54, the game in tempting balance, with Pakistan 157 points short of their goal on 198-4.
That Pakistan is even in the chase is down to a poor England slump in the morning session.
Although Harry Brook had completed his second century in as many Tests, the sacking of captain Ben Stokes sparked a five-wicket capitulation for 19 runs that left England 275 altogether.
Abdullah Shafique and Mohammad Rizwan added 66 for the first wicket, only for James Anderson, Ollie Robinson and Mark Wood to produce a trio of magical deliveries to send Pakistan 83-3.
Imam and Shakeel dug in, leaving England in a battle for victory that would seal a series win.
England let Pakistan in
This contest has more life than seemed likely at the start of the day thanks to England’s waste and Pakistan’s fighting qualities.
Tourists should have been out of sight, but the morning collapse gave Pakistan a ray of hope they clung to.
Despite the rotating pitch, Pakistan attacked the spinners – Leach’s 20 overs cost 88. It was only the efforts of Anderson, Robinson and Wood, who competed to throw the most unplayable delivery – that made control to England.
Still, Pakistan would not back down, much to the delight of the biggest and loudest crowd in the match so far.
Leach’s late intervention will leave England feeling just one wicket away from breaking domestic resistance, but tourists will also know Pakistan hunted 344 to beat Sri Lanka in Galle too recently only in July.
Out of nowhere, this series seems to have launched a second fascinating finale in the space of a week.
Pacemen produce magic ahead of Pakistan challenge
Anderson played none of England’s 15 overs in the morning session but needed just five afternoon deliveries to add to his cannon of stunning dismissals.
Tilting the ball inward, then pinching it, he went over the outside edge and hit the stump to send a bewildered Rizwan on his way for 30.
Then came Robinson’s effort, one that started wide enough for Babar Azam to shoulder his arms, then backed up as a break to knock down the hometown captain.
And Wood, springing to his feet, found a reverse swing at nearly 90 mph to whistle the ball between the bat and Shafique’s pad.
Shakeel offered a tough chance to Brook a short distance from Leach when he was at four, while Imam, batting at number five after suffering a hamstring scan, busted the hands of bowler Will Jacks the 19.
Appeased, the two southpaws skillfully used their feet against the rotation. All three England frontline pacers spent time off the pitch, while captain Stokes didn’t play at all.
When referee Marais Erasmus failed to spot Imam’s tickle on the side of Wood’s leg and England opted against the review, it seemed the momentum was with Pakistan, only for Leach to conjure up the dramatic breakthrough in the fading light.
Brook shines before England let him slip away
How will England fit Brook and Jonny Bairstow into the same team when the latter recovers from a broken leg?
Brook has looked quite comfortable at this level – he is only the third England man to score two hundred in his first three Tests.
With England 202-5 overnight and Brook on 74, he continued to score on the ground and from the side of the leg to hit triple figures on 137 balls.
Brook added 101 with Stokes, who hit his 107th six to equal the Test record held by England coach Brendon McCullum. But, when Stokes was well caught on the leg side boundary by Mohammad Ali on Mohammad Nawaz’s spin for 41, England’s sloppy slide began.
Robinson charged and was knocked down by Abrar Ahmed to give the leg spinner 11 wickets in the game – only five debutants have taken more.
Wood guided to slide, Brook dug in the leg side and Anderson was lbw, all against leg spinner Zahid Mahmood.
