Rehan Ahmed described his five-wicket haul as a "dream come true" after the teenage debutant put England on the brink of a historic Test series whitewash in Pakistan on Monday.

Ahmed claimed two wickets on day one of the tour's third and final Test, but that was nothing compared with what was to come as the 18-year-old spinner tore through Pakistan on day three.

His match figures of 7-137 are the best of any England debutant since Peter Such's 8-145 against Australia in 1993, and have put Pakistan on the brink of suffering their first home Test series whitewash.

Having previously described Saturday as the best day of his life, Ahmed told BBC Test Match Special that Monday's display had left him reconsidering that assessment. 

"It's probably the best day of my life again! To get five on my debut is a dream come true. It's great," Ahmed said.

"I was thinking about the five-for. I'd be lying if I said I didn't. But at the same time, I was trying to forget it. The more you try and chase the wicket, it just won't happen." 

The highlight of Ahmed's performance came when his delivery had Pakistan skipper Babar Azam caught by Ollie Pope, just as the hosts appeared to have steadied the ship following Jack Leach's early three-wicket haul.

"I've bowled better balls and got wickets so just to get Babar Azam out is a dream come true," Ahmed said. "He's a very good player. Pope has got good hands so it's good the ball went to him. 

"I liked [Mohammad] Rizwan's wicket because I've been working on my leg spin for the last two years. To get one to spin on the other side was great."

Meanwhile, Pakistan batsman Azhar Ali saw his final Test innings end in disappointing fashion as he was bowled for a four-ball duck by Leach in his final outing before retirement.

Azhar struggled to hide his frustration when speaking to Sky Sports afterwards, saying: "You want to finish on a high and win your last game, you want to contribute. Unfortunately, it wasn't to be. 

"It was a bit of a disappointment, so I have mixed feelings. I am thankful to the England and Pakistan team for giving me a send-off.

"I was more emotional in the first innings than the second. It was a nervy start in the first innings. I was quite calm in the second but I am a human being so there was some emotion. 

"I played down the wrong line and Leachy got me out. He has bowled really well in this series. It was my time to say goodbye to international cricket."

Pakistan batter Azhar Ali will retire from Test cricket after the final match of the series against England.

The 37-year-old has announced the 97th match of his career in the longest format at the National Stadium in Karachi, which starts on Saturday, will be his last.

Azhar is Pakistan's fifth-highest Test-run scorer with 7,097 at an average of 42.49, making an outstanding 19 hundreds and 35 half-centuries after making his debut in 2010.

The classy right-hander, whose highest score was a magnificent 302 not out against West Indies in 2016, captained his country in nine Tests during two tenures.

Azhar said: "It has been a great honour and privilege for me to represent my country at the highest level. Deciding on when to call it a day is always tough, but, after contemplating deeply, I realised that this is the right time for me to retire from Test cricket.

"There are many people who I am grateful to in this strenuous, yet beautiful journey. I want to make a special mention of my family without whose sacrifices; I would not have been where I am today. My parents, wife, siblings, and children have been my strength throughout.

"I have been blessed to share a dressing room with some of the most outstanding cricketers with whom I share a strong bond. I feel much richer by calling these people my friends. I am also blessed to have played under some wonderful coaches to whom I will always remain grateful. 

"I retire from international cricket as a fulfilled cricketer who ticked most of the goals he had set for himself. Not many cricketers go on to lead their countries, and that I was able to captain Pakistan is a matter of great pride for me.

"From being a kid who started as a leg-spinner to becoming a mainstay in the Test batting line-up, I had the loveliest moments of my life that I will cherish forever."

Azhar Ali piled on the runs for Pakistan before falling just short of a double century as the hosts dominated day two of the first Test against Australia.

This has been a tough start to the three-match series for Australia, with Pakistan totting up 245-1 on day one, followed by the jarring news of Shane Warne's death.

On Saturday, Pakistan kept Australia in the field for a long time once again, declaring on 476-4 shortly before stumps and imposing a stranglehold on the contest.

Azhar reached 185 before attempting an ambitious reverse sweep and paying a high price for failing to make the intended powerful contact, an unexpected misstep.

Rather than sending the ball soaring over the in-field, Azhar looped up a top edge to Cameron Green at short third man to give part-time spinner Marnus Labuschagne a prized wicket.

It made for a disappointing end to a stellar knock from the 37-year-old Azhar, whose 19th Test century proved to be the fourth highest of his Pakistan career.

He had been 64 not out overnight and reached three figures by taking on Nathan Lyon, just about clearing the leg-side field with a blow that was not quite middled but nevertheless raced away to the boundary.

Imam-ul-Haq had earlier advanced from his overnight 132 not out to 157 before he was pinned lbw by Australia captain Pat Cummins, a review only confirming the obvious.

Labuschagne ran out home captain Babar Azam for 36 with a direct hit, after a chancy attempted single, but it was another day to forget for the tourists, who reached 5-0 from one over before bad light ended proceedings.

Azhar puts Pakistan in pole position

This was a special innings from the Pakistan veteran, falling just short of the 205 not out he scored in the first innings in Melbourne in December 2016, which remains his highest score against Australia. Remarkably, Australia still managed to pull off an innings victory in that match, but such a prospect seems highly improbable this time.

Azhar, whose latest innings contained 15 fours and three sixes, also belongs to the exclusive club of players with a Test triple century, having made an unbeaten 302 against West Indies six years ago in Dubai.

Putting the pitch in perspective

It should become clear on Sunday whether this was a match-defining effort by Pakistan, or whether the pitch is likely to result in a high-scoring stalemate. It was frustrating to the home side that they could only get in one over at the Australian openers before the umpires called a halt to the action.

Pakistan have won seven of their last eight men's Tests including their last three on the bounce, with only India (8) picking up more wins in the format than Pakistan (7) since the beginning of 2021.

Abid Ali and Azhar Ali each hit centuries to put Pakistan in control on day one of the second Test in Harare before three late wickets from Blessing Muzarabani hauled Zimbabwe back into the contest.

Opener Abid carried his bat through the day to reach stumps on 118 not out and Azhar struck 126, having combined in a mammoth second-wicket stand of 236.

But after toiling on a sluggish surface for most of the day, Zimbabwe and Muzarabani (3-41) made the second new ball pay, as skipper Babar Azam and Fawad Alam followed Azhar back to the pavilion in short order and Pakistan closed on 268-4.

The hosts could at least reflect on having bookended the day effectively.

Pakistan, who handed a debut to veteran seamer Tabish Khan, batted after Babar won the toss, although Imran Butt scratched around for two runs from 20 deliveries before miscuing a pull at Richard Ngarava (1-35).

Given how Ngarava and Muzarabani impressed in their initial burst and what followed, it appears how each team uses the new ball will be vital on a benign Harare pitch.

Although Abid was the more circumspect throughout, the two centurions picked up the pace after lunch as Zimbabwe's discipline began to wane – Azhar enjoying himself backward of square and through midwicket, while Abid showed lovely timing through the covers.

After Zimbabwe persuaded the umpires to change the ball in the 53rd over, slow left-armer Tendai Chisoro (0-80) dropped short and Abid smashed the ball into Roy Kaia's knee, forcing the short leg from the field after lengthy treatment.

Azhar was the first to three figures off 198 balls, while Abid followed from his 224th delivery before a mini-collapse from 248-1.

Muzarabani drew Azhar into a drive on the up, seeing him pouched at gully by Milton Shumba, before Babar edged to Kevin Kasuza in the cordon and Alam dragged on after struggling under a barrage of short deliveries.

Abid and Azhar set up Pakistan for series win

Abid would not have envisaged being joined by Sajid Khan to see out the day, but he will resume alongside the nightwatchman on Saturday having put questions over his place in the side to bed. The opener had a top score of 26 in his 10 Test innings preceding this tour, meaning he needed to back up a 60 in the initial encounter with something more substantial.

There were no such doubts over the 36-year-old Azhar's credentials, but his century was also a redemptive one after being sacked as captain last November.

Babar fed up of counting his Blessings

Azhar's successor Babar has generally become Pakistan's sure thing across all formats and was in blistering form during the recent white-ball trip to South Africa. Not here, though, as he followed up a first-ball duck in his team's innings victory last time out with another single-figure score.

Muzarabani appears to be a big part of the problem. Since returning to international cricket last year, the seamer has removed Babar on six occasions.