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.

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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.