DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - England needs another 288 runs to beat Pakistan in the third and final test afer finishing the third day on 36-0 Sunday.

England captain Andrew Strauss is 19 not out with Alastair Cook undefeated on 15.

Earlier Pakistan was dismissed for 365 after Azhar Ali's career-best 157 left England chasing 324 for victory.

England has lost the first two tests and needs to counter the spin threat of Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman to deny Pakistan a clean sweep of the series.

Ali's 157 off 442 balls spanned almost nine hours in Pakistan's second innings before leftarm spinner Monty Panesar (5-124) and Graeme Swann (3-101) claimed the last seven wickets for just 34 runs.