On the second day of the second Test in Multan, Pakistan’s spinners took control, dramatically changing the game against England.
After Pakistan posted a solid total of 366, with Ghulam contributing 118 and Ayub adding 77, England seemed to be in a strong position. Ben Duckett’s aggressive 114 helped the visitors cruise to 211-2, putting them in sight of a crucial lead.
However, Pakistan’s off-spinner Sajid Khan led a stunning comeback. He dismissed Joe Root by getting him to drag the ball onto his stumps, tempted Duckett into an edge, and then bowled Harry Brook with a sharp turning delivery. Noman Ali also joined the action, catching Ben Stokes at short leg.
In just 18 deliveries, England lost four wickets for only 14 runs, ending the day at 239-6, still trailing Pakistan by 127 runs. What had looked like England’s day quickly turned into Pakistan’s, thanks to their spinners.
Earlier, Jack Leach’s 4-114 and Brydon Carse’s 3-50 helped England finish off Pakistan’s innings just after lunch. By the close of play, Carse was back at the crease, holding on with Jamie Smith as England fought to stay in the match.
Sajid Springs to Life
It was only a matter of time before the pitch, which had been reused from the first Test, started to play a significant role in the second.
Before that change occurred, Pakistan must have felt a sense of déjà vu from their last match. Back then, they scored an impressive 556 runs but were crushed by England’s aggressive batting approach. As Ben Duckett built strong partnerships with Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, and Joe Root, it looked like history was repeating itself.
Sajid Khan, one of four new faces in the Pakistan team, proved to be the biggest threat, even as Duckett was scoring freely at five runs per over.
As the seventh day of cricket on this pitch progressed, the conditions finally began to shift. Joe Root’s attempted sweep didn’t bounce as expected, Duckett misjudged a drive out of the rough, and Harry Brook took a risky approach against the spin. Meanwhile, Ben Stokes looked hesitant, likely feeling the effects of a hamstring injury that had kept him out for four Tests.
In the blink of an eye, England found themselves in trouble. What looked like a chance for a first-innings lead turned into a fight for survival. Now, even getting to a draw seemed like a tall order.
Adding to the pressure, thoughts of what England might face in the fourth innings were concerning. Pakistan had the advantage as they sought to level the series, leaving England with a daunting task ahead.
Duckett Leads the Charge Before Chaos
England’s response to Pakistan’s total took them into uncharted territory, aiming to give context to the hard work their bowlers had put in over the last few sessions.
Ben Duckett, who had dislocated his thumb during the first Test, made batting look effortless right from the start. Facing a lot of spin, he used his trademark sweeps and reverse sweeps to great effect.
England started strong, scoring at almost a run a ball, though Zak Crawley struggled against the spin. He was lucky not to be run out at 20 and had a leg-before decision overturned at 24 before edging Noman Ali at 27. Ollie Pope began steadily but was bowled for 29 after misjudging a drive at Sajid Khan.
When Joe Root joined Duckett, both were skilled players against spin. Duckett nearly got caught trying a reverse sweep at 72, but slip fielder Salman Agha misjudged the ball. By the time Duckett reached 88, he had surpassed 2,000 Test runs, becoming the fastest player to hit that milestone.
Duckett reached his century off 120 balls, finishing with another sweep, this time against Salman’s off-spin. This was his fourth Test century and his first in 18 innings. His partnership with Root grew to 86 runs, and England looked to be in control. But then, chaos struck after Root’s sweep.
Carse Impresses Again
Brydon Carse from Durham made a strong impression in his debut Test and continued to shine on the first day of this match. His bowling played a key role in helping England restrict Pakistan to 259-5 overnight.
Mohammed Rizwan and Salman Agha were Pakistan’s main hopes for a big total, but Care quickly dismissed Rizwan, who was caught by wicketkeeper Jamie Smith trying to defend a ball that moved away sharply.
Salman liked to play the ball to third man, but after a couple of unsuccessful attempts against a fired-up Matthew Potts, he was dismissed as well. This gave England a chance to limit Pakistan to below 350 runs.
However, Aamer Jamal, a valuable lower-order batsman, formed an important partnership with number 10 Noman, who has a Test high of 97. Some England players dealt with stomach issues, and Ben Stokes did not bowl on Wednesday as he was returning from a hamstring injury.
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Their partnership was worth 49 runs when Carse was brought on immediately after lunch and needed just one ball to bowl Jamal out. Carse also played a part in taking the last wicket, catching Noman’s top-edged sweep near the boundary.
‘We Know They Can Crumble’ – Reaction
England opener Ben Duckett shared his thoughts with Sky Sports, saying,
“I’m really happy with how I played. It would be nice to go back out tomorrow with a couple fewer wickets lost, but credit to the bowlers; they did well throughout our innings.“We’ll focus on the first hour tomorrow. It’s really important we score runs. On this pitch, a draw isn’t likely, and we’re not going to play for one. We know Pakistan can crumble, so the pressure is on them.”
Former England seamer Steven Finn.
“The first half-hour tomorrow will be crucial. If England can take the wind out of Pakistan’s sails and score some runs, they can create gaps in the field, allowing them to rotate the strike and move the scoreboard. Then, England can hope to narrow the gap to around 50 runs.”
