By Saj Sadiq (26th January, 2012)

Former Pakistan captain Asif Iqbal feels that despite England only being 50 runs behind and with 5 wickets in hand, it is the home team that still has the upper hand.

"It was a good toss for Misbah to win and he did the right thing by batting first. With history dictating that this would be a flat batting track and with three double centuries having already being scored in Abu Dhabi, it was expected that this would be a very flat wicket and excellent for batting. But this wicket at the Sheikh Zayed seems to be a different type of surface and the bowlers are getting sufficient assistance from this wicket."

"As things stand I would rather be in Pakistan's shoes than England's and I think Pakistan has the advantage at the moment."

England's lower order that includes Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann can certainly hold their own with the bat and they will be looking to forge ahead of the Pakistan total and build a healthy lead. However Iqbal is of the opinion that it will be Pakistan who will end up with a first innings lead.

"The English batsmen have been groping around and have looked clueless against the Pakistani spinners. I therefore feel that Pakistan will end up with a first innings advantage tomorrow."

"The Pakistani spinners have done exceptionally well and I congratulate them on the way they have fought back after the huge partnership between Trott and Cook. There were two excellent wickets towards the end of the day with the ever dangerous Pietersen departing and then England's best player of spin Eoin Morgan being dismissed on the last ball of the day. Pakistan are in good shape at the moment."

The Pakistani batsmen got good starts in their first innings but it was only Misbah ul Haq and Asad Shafiq who went past the half century mark. Iqbal feels that the Pakistani batsmen need to take a leaf out of Jonathan Trott's, Alastair Cook's and Misbah's books and apply themselves better in their second batting effort.

"The philosophy on such a wicket is simple; just apply yourself. If batsmen think that they are well set on this wicket when they have scored 20 or 30 runs and they can go for their normal shots, they are mistaken."

"Every run the Pakistani batsmen score that extends their lead will be like gold dust. The batsmen have to make sure that they give their bowlers enough runs when England bat second time around and I feel that anything over 200 will be difficult for England to chase in the fourth innings, especially with the wicket deteriorating and taking so much spin."

England will begin Day 3 in Abu Dhabi 50 runs behind Pakistan with Ian Bell and wicketkeeper Matt Prior at the crease.