Jack Leach provided England with a solid start by claiming two early wickets, but Pakistan mounted a recovery to reach 79 for two at lunch on the opening morning of the second Test in Multan. The decision of the home side to stick with the same worn pitch from the series opener added an element of intrigue to the match. Leach’s quick dismissals of Abdullah Shafique and Shan Masood in his initial three overs initially put England in a strong position.
Despite initial signs of unpredictable bounce causing some concern, Saim Ayub (40 not out) and debutant Kamran Ghulam (29 not out) steadied the ship for Pakistan before the lunch break. Following the toss, England’s bowling attack started with Matthew Potts and Brydon Carse, who bowled five tight overs with the new ball before the spinners were introduced. A delivery from Potts keeping low elicited a grin from the bowler, with Ben Stokes noting on the stump microphone, “it’s started already, boys.”
Pakistan had made it clear before the match that they wanted a turning track, reflected in their selection of seven slow bowlers in the side. Leach troubled the Pakistani batsmen with his spin early on, eventually dismissing Shafique and Masood. While there were moments where England seemed poised to dominate, Ayub and Ghulam managed to stabilize Pakistan’s innings.
After a nervy start, Ayub began to find his rhythm, while Ghulam showcased his ability by hitting Leach for a six over long-on. Stokes tried different bowling combinations to break the partnership, even giving Joe Root a couple of overs, but Pakistan’s batsmen managed to build a solid partnership of 60 runs before the lunch break.
As the match progressed, England continued to search for breakthroughs, but Pakistan’s batsmen displayed resilience and composure at the crease. The competition between the two sides promises to deliver an exciting Test match filled with twists and turns.