PAKISTAN VS ENGLAND, 2ND TEST
In an action-packed first day, both teams landed punches and counter punches but the star of the day was debutant mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed who ended up with 7/114 on debut as England paid the price for high-risk batting.
Pakistan further strengthened their position reducing the deficit to 174 by the end of the first day, led by an unbeaten 61 from skipper Babar Azam. The clinical knock snuffed out hopes raised early after Imam-ul-Haq was caught behind off James Anderson for a two-ball duck. Babar first steadied the innings with a 46-run stand alongside Abdllah Shafique, who eventually nicked Jack Leach. But Babar proceeded to add an unbeaten 56 with Saud Shakel, whose lofts against Leach provided an ideal foil for his skipper. Together the duo ensured that the advantage given by Abrar was not squandered.
The spinner, one of Pakistan’s three changes for the second Test, had struck in his very first over when he spun a wrong ‘un through Zak Crawley’s defence. But thereafter, both Duckett and Pope took the spinners on. Through a multitude of sweeps and reverse sweep all across the Multan Cricket Stadium, the duo sent Pakistan on a leather hunt.
In a 61-ball stand worth 79, the duo made sure that England hit back considerably after that early wicket as none of the spinners were spared. As a result of their high-risk approach, the bowlers found themselves always in with a chance when bowling full. As many as four decisions were overturned in the session, with the first two coming in favour of England. Both Pope and Duckett were adjudged to have got glove on ball while trying to reverse sweep and survived.
Duckett’s luck did not last long though. In the same over that he had a decision go in favour of him via DRS, there was one more that brought about his end as he missed a sweep against Abrar and was out LBW for a 49-ball 63.
Abrar gave Pakistan more to cheer about when he ripped a legbreak past Joe Root’s defence to hit him on the back leg and then had Aleem Dar reverse a decision for the third time in the session. But Pope and Harry Brook did not let the momentum slip thereafter, with the former carrying on the charge after getting past his fifty. However, he too fell prey to the reverse sweep, hitting one straight to backward point while Brook gave Ahmed the charge and found mid off, handing him a five-wicket haul in his first session as a Test cricketer.
Ben Stokes and Will Jacks did not let up on the aggression despite half the side departing early. The duo added the lofted shots to the sweeps in their attack arsenal as they put on a 61-run stand for the sixth wicket.
But just as he had done through the day, Abrar was Babar’s go-to man to break a stand, and he did so with a stunning wrong ‘un that bamboozled Stokes to have him bowled. Jacks soon followed suit, missing a sweep across the line giving Abrar seven out of the first seven wickets. England still managed to add fifty runs for the last three wickets thanks a free-stroking Mark Wood who finished with 36 before Zahid Mahmood got three to wrap up the innings quickly.
Brief Scores:
England 281 (Ben Duckett 63, Ollie Pope 60; Abrar Ahmed 7-114) lead Pakistan 107/2 (Babar Azam 61*) by 174 runs
(Cricbuzz)