LONDON: Pakistan were bowled out for 174 before tea on the first day of the second test at Headingley after England's Stuart Broad ripped through the tourists' upper order.
England were hammered at Lord's last week in the opening test and will take encouragement from a strong performance from the bowlers.
Pakistan, who were 79 for seven, had Shadab Khan to thank for helping them to a more respectable total thanks to a lively 56 and a 43-run ninth wicket partnership with Hasan Ali.
After winning the toss in Leeds and opting to bat, Pakistan lost Imam ul-Haq for a duck when he was caught by captain Joe Root at third slip on the last ball of Stuart Broad's first stint following a maiden over from James Anderson.
Imam could have gone four balls earlier when he was given lbw but the decision was overturned on review with tracking showing the delivery was going over the stumps.
Broad got his second, and 50th test wicket against Pakistan, when Azhar Ali was trapped lbw to leave Pakistan reeling on 17 for two.
Sam Curran, the 19-year-old replacing injured all-rounder Ben Stokes, had his first bowl in test cricket before the recalled Chris Woakes removed Haris Sohail (28) with the ball nicked into the hands of Dawid Malan.
Pakistan were at 49-3 with Usman Salahuddin making his test debut at number five, but England chalked up another wicket before the break with Asad Shafiq (27) caught by Alastair Cook off Woakes with the score 62-4.
Cook was playing a record 154th consecutive test, overtaking former Australia captain Alan Border as the player with the most tests in a row.
After lunch, James Anderson, finding a fuller length than in the morning, bowled Sarfraz Ahmed and then had Faheem Ashraf while Broad picked up his third wicket as he removed Usman Salahuddin lbw.
Mohammed Amir was next to go - unwisely chasing a wide Anderson delivery and edging to Johnny Bairstow before the aggressive effort from Shadab and Hasan frustrated England's attempt to quickly deal with the tail.
Shadab's 56 off 52 balls included ten fours before he was caught at midwicket by Keaton Jennings to give left-arm seamer Sam Curran his maiden test wicket.
Anderson, Broad and Chris Woakes all finished with three wickets.
England need a win to avoid a third consecutive test series defeat, following a nine wicket defeat inside four days at Lord's.
A draw or a win for Pakistan would be the visitors' first series victory in England for 22 years.
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