First Test, Multan (Day Two of Five)
Pakistan 556: Masood 151, Salman 104*, Shafique 102; Leach 3-160
England 96-1: Crawley 64*, Root 32*
England trail by 460 runs.
On day two of the first Test in Multan, England made a commendable response, reaching 96-1 despite a challenging start against Pakistan’s formidable total of 556.
Ben Duckett sustained a left thumb injury while taking the catch that concluded Pakistan’s innings, forcing Ollie Pope to step in as opener. Unfortunately for England, Pope’s second delivery saw him dismissed for a duck, caught brilliantly by Aamer Jamal at mid-wicket.
Despite this setback, Zak Crawley and Joe Root showed resilience, guiding England to 96 runs at the end of the day. Crawley scored an impressive 64, while Root contributed a steady 32, but the visitors still trail Pakistan by 460 runs.
It was a punishing day in the sweltering heat, with England having to endure six sessions in the field. Salman Ali Agha became the third Pakistani batsman to notch a century in this inning, finishing the day on 104 not out. He had a close call on 15 when Chris Woakes executed a remarkable boundary catch, only for the TV umpire, Chris Gaffaney, to rule it not out, as Woakes had stepped beyond the rope.
Pakistan’s innings could have taken a different turn when they were at 420-7, but England’s bowling attack showed determination, taking four wickets for just 76 runs. However, Salman’s aggressive batting ultimately shifted the momentum back to Pakistan, punishing the fatigued English bowlers.
In a slight boost for England, captain Ben Stokes was seen bowling on the outfield during the tea break, a sign of his efforts to recover from a hamstring injury ahead of the second Test.
Caught, But Not Out
Despite the immense pressure of chasing a daunting total, England’s batting display felt like a repeat of their exhausting efforts from Monday. The scoreboard pressure loomed large as they faced Pakistan’s formidable total of 556.
One has to wonder how the match could have turned had Chris Woakes’ spectacular catch been upheld. Bowling to Salman Ali Agha, Jack Leach witnessed Woakes execute a remarkable effort while backpedaling at long-on, attempting a catch reminiscent of those seen in white-ball cricket.
Aware that his momentum would carry him beyond the boundary, Woakes cleverly relayed the ball back to himself. At first, Salman began to leave, thinking he had been dismissed, but umpire Chris Gaffaney’s review procedure changed the story.
Sadly for England, the blurry photos that were available did not provide enough information to determine Woakes’ right foot. Ultimately, the call went in favor of the batter, which clearly irritated Woakes as Salman kept racking up runs, adding to England’s misery.
Interestingly, England may have some hope due to a statistical anomaly. The team has previously won both of its games when giving up more than 500 runs under Brendon McCullum’s guidance, including their first Test in Pakistan two years ago. But continuing that run would be nothing short of extraordinary given the difficult circumstances and the formidable Pakistani opposition.
England Struggles Despite the Duckett Injury
Ultimately, it was Joe Root, serving as an off-spinner, who bowled a rare bouncer that led to Duckett’s dismissal. Abrar managed to steer the delivery to slip, where Duckett, already receiving treatment for his injury, caught the ball before heading to the dressing room.
Stand-in captain Ollie Pope had his hands full as he stepped up to open the batting for the first time in his first-class career. He made solid contact with a short ball from Naseem, but Aamer Jamal held on to a brilliant catch, prompting jubilant celebrations among his teammates.
Despite the setbacks, England showed resilience. The pitch, initially flat on day one, began to offer some turn and low bounce by day two. Pakistan’s bowlers capitalized on this, with two strong leg-before-wicket appeals against Root and another against Crawley, further intensifying the pressure.
Crawley, returning to action after a broken finger, demonstrated his mettle during this crucial phase. Meanwhile, Root is just 39 runs shy of surpassing Sir Alastair Cook as England’s all-time leading run-scorer.
Duckett’s injury assessment revealed he was unlikely to bat during the second evening of play. England opted not to schedule a scan, hoping the injury would settle overnight.
‘Signs for England Not to Be Disheartened’ – Reactions
In a post-match interview with Test Match Special, England bowler Brydon Carse shared his thoughts on the day’s play: “The bowlers will be a bit fatigued, but we batted well today. We’ll rest up and come out tomorrow, hoping for a productive batting day.”
Reflecting on his first Test wicket, Carse noted, “It wasn’t the celebration you might expect after taking your first wicket, but the guys were exhausted. It’s a relief, and I’m happy to have contributed with a couple of wickets today.”
Former England bowler Steven Finn also offered his perspective: “Pakistan will go to bed the happier of the two teams, but there are signs for England not to be disheartened. After taking that early wicket, Pakistan had the opportunity to build on their lead, but England managed to push back through Joe Root, who rotated the strike effectively, and Zak Crawley, who fought hard against the Pakistani bowlers.”
Adding to the discussion, former England spinner Alex Hartley remarked, “England will be relatively pleased. They likely wanted to dismiss Pakistan much earlier, but nightwatchman Naseem Shah did his job well, and runs came easily for Pakistan.”
Also read:Pakistan vs England 2024: Babar Azam Falls Short Again , Pakistan Dominate Day 1 of Multan Test
As both teams head into the next day, there’s a mixture of optimism and determination for England as they look to capitalize on their performance.
