Pakistan's first innings ends at 366 in second Test against England

Hosts hit with setback as Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Agha left pitch early

By
Web Desk
|
Englands Brydon Carse celebrates with Harry Brook after taking the catch to dismiss Pakistans Noman Ali, off the bowling of Jack Leach during second Test at Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan on October 16, 2024. — Reuters
England's Brydon Carse celebrates with Harry Brook after taking the catch to dismiss Pakistan's Noman Ali, off the bowling of Jack Leach during second Test at Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan on October 16, 2024. — Reuters

Pakistan were all out for 366 in their first innings on day two of the second Test against England in Multan on Wednesday, with debutant Kamran Ghulam topscoring for the hosts with a fluent 118 and Saim Ayub contributing 77.

Spinner Jack Leach (4-114) and seamer Brydon Carse (3-50) impressed with the ball for England, who are 1-0 up in the three-Test series.

Aamer Jamal and Noman Ali showcased the resilience of Pakistan's lower order, reaching 358 for eight at lunch on day two of the second Test against England in Multan on Wednesday.

Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha resumed the second day at 37 and five, respectively, on 259-5. However, the Green Shirts soon lost Rizwan to Brydon Carse for 41 as England dominated the opening hour.

Rizwan had survived a strong lbw appeal in the previous over from Matthew Potts but edged Carse and Jamie Smith took a sharp catch behind the stumps.

Meanwhile, Agha contributed 31 but failed to convert the start into a big knock. He also fell caught behind after Potts managed to extract some extra bounce from a docile track, inducing an edge that nestled into Smith's gloves.

Jack Leach removed Sajid Khan for two but Jamal frustrated England even though the batter struggled to get going and needed on-field treatment.

Jamal is the lone specialist seamer in Pakistan's spin-heavy attack and his fitness is crucial for the home side's hopes of levelling the series in Multan.

Previously, Ghulam, 29, hit a superb century on his debut to guide Pakistan to 259-5 on the opening day of the second Test, replacing out-of-form Babar Azam at number four and foiled England's aggressive bowling and fielding to score 118.

Ghulam led a fightback after the hosts, who won the toss, were struggling at 19-2 with England spinner Jack Leach striking twice in the first hour.

The debutant added 149 for the defiant third wicket with Saim Ayub, who hit a career-best 77, and another 65 for the fifth wicket with Rizwan.

He reached three figures with a boundary off spinner Joe Root, taking 280 minutes and becoming Pakistan's 12th batter to score a century in his first Test.

With just half an hour before stumps, Ghulam was bowled by spinner Shoaib Bashir, ending a resolute 323-minute knock spiced with 11 fours and a six.

Ghulam said his century was a reward for his wait.

"It is delightful to score a hundred and that too as a replacement for Babar Azam, who has been a great player for Pakistan," said Ghulam, who had a big let-off on 79 when Ben Duckett failed to get a difficult chance off Leach.

"I saw that with a bated breath but Almighty was so kind to me," said Ghulam.

Meanwhile, England employed a short mid-off and two mid-wicket fielders to get wickets after lunch but the Multan pitch — the same used for the first Test — gave very little help to the spinners after some early promise.

Skipper Ben Stokes, one of two changes from England's thumping innings win in the first Test, bowled five overs and showed no signs of the hamstring injury that forced him to miss the first Test.

Matthew Potts ended Ayub's knock when the batsman patted to Stokes at short mid-off while Brydon Carse removed Saud Shakeel for four, the dismissals coming either side of the tea interval.

Leach has figures of 2-92 while Bashir, Carse and Potts have a wicket each.

Abdullah Shafique was bowled by Leach for seven in the eighth over of the morning with the score on 15.

In his next over, the left-arm spinner had skipper Shan Masood caught low at short midwicket by Zak Crawley for three.

England lead the three-match series 1-0.

Pakistan Playing XI

Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood (captain), Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Aamir Jamal, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan and Zahid Mehmood

England Playing XI

Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith (wk), Brydon Carse, Matt Potts, Jack Leach and Shoaib Bashir