Pakistan need eight more wickets to bowl out England heading into Day 4 of the second Test and end a dismal run of six successive red-ball defeats.
England ended Thursday's play on 36-2 after Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley both fell early on as they looked to secure what would be a record-breaking run chase of 297.
The last time Pakistan won a Test match was in July 2023, when they defeated Sri Lanka by an innings and 222 runs in Colombo. Their last win at home was against South Africa in February 2021.
Ben Stokes' side were all out for 291 earlier in the day as spinner Sajid Khan's 7-111 ensured the hosts enjoyed a 75-run lead going into the second innings.
Pakistan were then bowled out for 221 on an increasingly untrustworthy Multan pitch, thanks in large part to Salman Ali Agha's 63, as England spinners Shoaib Bashir and Jack Leach took 4-66 and 3-67, respectively.
The highest total any England side has ever hunted down in Asian conditions is 209, a record dating back to 1961 in Lahore, but it could have been a much closer ask had they not paid a heavy price for two dropped catches in three balls during the afternoon session.
England scrapped hard with the ball to give themselves a chance. They had five wickets and were still less than 200 behind when the bullish Brydon Carse found Agha’s outside edge twice in an over.
Wicketkeeper Jamie Smith shelled the first with Salman on four, inexplicably letting the simplest of chances pop out of his gloves, before Joe Root failed to cling to a low chance just a couple of moments later.
“It is always nice when you score runs for your team. I wanted to be as positive as I can and play my shots. That's what I did,” said all-rounder Agha.
“If you only defend, one ball will get you out. You need to make sure you score runs.
“Since I have been in the team I have been batter seven. I used to complain but it is something now I have to accept and do well. We were about to score 230 but now after the partnership with me and Sajid we have 300.”
And England's chase could not have gone any worse when they quickly fell to 11-2, losing both openers in just five balls.
Twenty-four hours after making a fine century, Ben Duckett fell for a two-ball duck, while Zak Crawley overbalanced to be stumped for three, with Sajid and Noman Ali claiming the wickets.
Ollie Pope and Joe Root were unbeaten on 21 and 12 respectively with 261 still needed for victory and two days left.
England won the first Test of a three-match series in spectacular fashion after recovering from conceding 556 in the first innings to post 823-7 declared in reply before skittling Pakistan for 220, securing victory by an innings and 47 runs.
“We have got to be realistic. It is going to be difficult,” said England assistant coach Paul Collingwood.
“There will be belief in the dressing room. We have done some special things in the past, we have broken records. We have got to be realistic as well that it will be a tough, tough chase.
“We will not go away from our mantra. Our mantra is to soak up pressure when we need to but apply as much pressure as we possibly can when you get the opportunity. We will see how the pitch plays. I expect it to keep turning so there will be plenty of sweeps and reverse sweeps.”
