England faced a scorching challenge on the opening day of the Test series in Multan as Pakistan dominated with a total of 328 for four. The heat was on for England as Shan Masood and Abdullah Shafique put up a formidable partnership of 253 runs, leaving the visiting team with a tough task ahead.
In a reversal of fortune from their previous series in Pakistan two years ago, where England had taken control on the opening day with a massive score, this time the hosts showcased their strength with Masood scoring an impressive 151 and Shafique contributing 102. Despite some late breakthroughs, including Chris Woakes’ dismissal of Babar Azam, England found themselves facing a formidable challenge.
The scorching weather conditions with temperatures exceeding 37 degrees made the bowling efforts even more challenging for England. The absence of bowling coach James Anderson, who was expected to join the team on the second day of the match due to prior commitments, was felt as the England bowlers struggled to contain the Pakistani batsmen.
Despite an early success with Saim Ayub’s dismissal, England found it hard to make further breakthroughs. Woakes and Atkinson struggled to create significant impact, while newcomer Brydon Carse faced disappointment when an lbw decision was overturned. The English bowlers tried different tactics including spin from Shoaib Bashir and bouncers from Carse, but to no avail.
Masood accelerated his innings after lunch, reaching his century in just 102 balls, while Shafique also pushed ahead towards his own hundred. England’s fielding lapses, including a missed stumping chance by Ollie Pope, added to their frustration. However, a breakthrough finally came as Shafique fell to a well-directed ball from Atkinson, followed by Masood’s dismissal to Leach.
Pakistan’s partnership of Babar and Saud Shakeel added valuable runs before Woakes claimed Babar’s wicket with the second new ball. Despite the challenging day, England found some respite towards the end. As the Test series progresses, England will need to regroup and come back stronger to tackle Pakistan’s impressive performance in Multan.