England struggled to find inspiration as Pakistan dominated the first day of the match in Multan, with Shan Masood leading the charge by scoring a century and helping Pakistan reach 233 for one at tea. This performance was a stark contrast to England’s previous visit to Pakistan, where they had taken control on the opening day of the series.
Despite an early breakthrough by Gus Atkinson, Pakistan found batting easy on the docile pitch, with Masood unbeaten on 130 and Abdullah Shafique on 94 not out, forming an unbroken partnership of 225 runs. The English bowlers, including Chris Woakes and debutant Brydon Carse, struggled to make an impact as the Pakistani batsmen piled on the runs.
England’s hopes were briefly raised when Saim Ayub was dismissed cheaply, but thereafter, they failed to capitalize on any opportunities. Woakes and Atkinson toiled without success, while Carse was unlucky to have a decision overturned by the DRS system. Spin bowler Jack Leach was underutilised, and the English team found themselves grasping for answers as Pakistan dominated proceedings.
With Masood accelerating after lunch and reaching his century in just 102 balls, England’s bowlers continued to struggle to contain the Pakistani batsmen. Despite some near misses, including a missed run-out chance, England failed to make any significant breakthroughs as Pakistan continued to pile on the runs.
The day belonged to Pakistan as they asserted their dominance, leaving England with a challenging task ahead. The English team will need to regroup and come up with a strong response as the match progresses in Multan.