MULTAN: At the end of day two of the first Test at Multan Cricket Stadium, England found themselves at 96/1, trailing Pakistan by 460 runs after the hosts posted a formidable total of 556 in their first innings.
Right-arm pacer Naseem Shah made an early impact, dismissing England captain Ollie Pope in his very first over. Following this wicket, Zak Crawley and Joe Root steadied the innings, amassing 64 runs off just 64 balls. Root remained at the crease, contributing 32 runs off 54 deliveries as the visitors navigated their innings cautiously.
Earlier in the day, Pakistan’s innings was bolstered by Salman Ali Agha, who scored a brilliant unbeaten 104 runs off 119 balls, and Saud Shakeel, who added a solid 82 runs to the total. The Pakistani innings concluded at 556 runs, following the dismissal of Abrar Ahmed for 3 runs.
The second day commenced with Pakistan at 328/4, with Shakeel and Naseem Shah at the crease. Shah played aggressively, scoring 33 runs before being caught by Harry Brook in the 105.4 overs, having struck three sixes despite taking hits to his helmet and bowling hand.
Shakeel’s innings ended when he edged a delivery from Brydon Carse to Harry Brook at leg slip, giving the debutant seamer his first Test wicket. Seeking to reach a century, Shakeel fell for 82 runs off 177 balls, caught by Joe Root.
Mohammad Rizwan, who came in next, was dismissed for a duck after attempting a risky shot against Jack Leach, resulting in a catch to Chris Woakes at mid-off. Aamer Jamal also fell cheaply, scoring only seven runs before being dismissed by Carse.
Salman Ali Agha’s century was marked by 10 fours and three towering sixes, solidifying his position as a key player for Pakistan. The Men in Green reached 549-9 before Shaheen Shah Afridi added 26 runs off 49 balls before being dismissed.
In terms of bowling, England’s Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse claimed two wickets each, while Chris Woakes and Shoaib Bashir took one wicket apiece. Jack Leach was the standout bowler, claiming three wickets on the day.
This match is the first in a three-match series and forms part of the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25. England, captained by Ollie Pope in the absence of Ben Stokes due to a hamstring injury, is looking to turn the tide after their last tour to Pakistan in 2022 resulted in a 3-0 series defeat. With a total of 24 Tests played in Pakistan historically, England has managed to win only two, making their previous 3-0 victory even more remarkable.
