Pakistan dominated the first day of the first Test against England in Multan, ending at 328/4 after winning the toss and opting to bat. A stellar 253-run partnership between captain Shan Masood (151) and Abdullah Shafique (102) laid the foundation for Pakistan’s solid start.
Despite early trouble when opener Saim Ayub fell cheaply for 4 runs, Shan and Abdullah rebuilt the innings confidently. Before Ollie Pope caught Abdullah off Atkinson for 102, Abdullah scored his fifth century in Test cricket. Fightin’ for his place in the team, Shan Masood reached his fifth Test century before Jack Leach caught and bowled him for 151.
Shan’s century marked his first in Pakistan against England and his second overall, crossing the 2000-run milestone in his Test career.
Babar Azam and Saim Ayub couldn’t capitalize on the momentum, with Babar departing for 30 after falling LBW to Chris Woakes, wasting a review in the process. At stumps, Saud Shakeel remained unbeaten on 35, with Naseem Shah yet to score.
England’s bowlers had a challenging day, with Chris Woakes, Jack Leach, and Gus Atkinson sharing the wickets. The new ball, taken in the 81st over, provided England some relief as they dismissed Babar Azam late in the day.
With 86 overs bowled on Day 1, the second day will commence at 10 AM tomorrow, with Pakistan aiming to extend their total and England seeking early breakthroughs.
Day 1 Overview
In the Multan Test, Pakistan showcased a remarkable performance in their first innings. Captain Shan Masood scored a century at a time when his career was under threat, but after more than 1500 days, he scored a century against England, securing a lifeline for himself. Shan Masood recorded his fifth Test century overall and his first in Pakistan against England. His last century against England was in Manchester in 2020, where he scored 156 runs.
Earlier, umpire Dharmasena dismissed Shan Masood for leg before wicket on a 15-run appeal from Brendon Carse. But he was saved by a timely review; the umpire reversed his call because the ball had been pitched just outside leg stump.
Shan Masood hit two sixes and thirteen fours during his 151-run innings from 177 balls at a strike rate of 85.31. Jack Leach caught and bowled him to end his inning.
Earlier in the innings, Pakistan’s start was not great as wicketkeeper Smith caught Saim Ayub for 4 runs off 10 balls against Atkinson.
However, Shan Masood and Abdullah Shafique took charge and built a confident and quick partnership of over 250 runs.
Fourth-Highest Partnership
Captain Shan Masood and opener Abdullah Shafique formed the fourth-largest second-wicket partnership for Pakistan, adding 253 runs.
Previously, in 1971, Muhammad and Zaheer Abbas held the record for Pakistan with a 291-run partnership against England. In 2012, Azhar Ali and Mohammad Hafeez added 287 runs against Sri Lanka, while Saeed Anwar and Ijaz Ahmed shared a 262-run stand against New Zealand in 1996.
Abdullah Shafique attempted to drive a ball to the off-side but was caught by Ollie Pope off Atkinson after he had scored 102 runs. With a strike rate of 55.43 off 184 balls, the opener hit two sixes and ten fours. He finished this Test century with a commanding six. It was his fifth century overall. 201 runs is still his best Test score.
Masood Shan Achieves 2000 Runs
Shan Masood achieved a second milestone in the Multan Test by reaching 2000 runs in his career, in addition to his century. At an average of 29, he accomplished this in his 67th innings during 36 Test matches.
Also Read:Multan Cricket Stadium: A Venue of Cricketing History and Record
Two Players Are Absent from the Team
Two Pakistani players were left out of the starting lineup prior to the toss: leg-spinner Zahid Mahmood and left-arm spinner Nauman Ali. According to reports, neither player was in the Multan Cricket Stadium dressing room.
It’s noteworthy that Nauman Ali, who has taken 47 wickets in 15 Test matches, was also celebrating his birthday. Zahid Mahmood had been included in the squad as a reserve player based on his strong bowling performance in the Champions Cup.
When the squad list was released after the toss, the names of the 37-year-old Nauman Ali and Zahid Mahmood were missing from the 14-player squad.
When “South Today” reached out to Pakistan Cricket’s media manager for a comment via WhatsApp, no response was received. However, sources suggested that Nauman Ali was deemed unnecessary for this match, leading to his exclusion, and he was told to participate in the President’s Cup.
It is worth mentioning that the Pakistan Cricket Board announced the squad only for the first Test, and the squad for the second Test will be announced later.
Day 1 Highlights from the Multan Test
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An hour before the match, the grass on the pitch was trimmed with a blade.
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Just before the day’s play, birds had a “match” of their own on the ground. But once the sun came out in full force, the birds flew away.
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The thick grass and long boundaries in the stadium slowed down the outfield, preventing even strong shots from reaching the boundary.
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ICC match referee and former West Indies captain Richie Richardson was honored with a special cap before the toss to mark his 50th Test as a match referee.
Multan Stadium Pitch: “A Graveyard for Bowlers”
Former English cricketer Kevin Pietersen criticized the Multan pitch, calling it a “graveyard for bowlers” on social media. In a tweet on X (formerly Twitter), he wrote, “The Multan Stadium pitch is a graveyard for bowlers.”
Cricket fans and viewers responded to Pietersen, pointing out that if the pitch was truly a graveyard for bowlers, England would not have taken an early wicket. Some suggested that Pietersen should acknowledge the inexperience of the English bowlers.
Meanwhile, former cricketer Michael Vaughan also commented on the Multan pitch, describing it as a “road.” He added that watching Shan Masood bat was enjoyable, as the pitch was clearly offering good support to the batsmen.
Score at Glance:
Day 1 of 5: In the Multan Cricket Stadium, Pakistan won the toss and decided to bat first.
Pakistan: 328/4 in 86 overs (Shan Masood 151, Abdullah Shafique 102, Saud Shakeel 35 not out, Babar Azam 30; Gus Atkinson 2/70)
