Pakistan’s Salman Agha in motion in the course of the first Take a look at towards England at Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan, Pakistan on October 8, 2024. — Reuters
Pakistan are again on the pitch to bat on the Multan Cricket Stadium on Wednesday (day two) after debutant Kamran Ghulam’s century, which helped stabilise the nationwide aspect towards England within the second Take a look at.
Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha are at 37 and 5, respectively, because the day resumes.
Ghulam hit an excellent century on his debut to information Pakistan to 259-5 on the opening day of the second Take a look at.
The 29-year-old changed out-of-form Babar Azam at quantity 4 and foiled England’s aggressive bowling and fielding to attain 118.
Ghulam led a fightback after the hosts, who gained the toss, had been struggling at 19-2 with England spinner Jack Leach placing twice within the first hour.
The debutant added 149 for the defiant third wicket with Saim Ayub, who hit a career-best 77, and one other 65 for the fifth wicket with Rizwan.
He reached three figures with a boundary off spinner Joe Root, taking 280 minutes and changing into Pakistan’s twelfth batter to attain a century in his first Take a look at.
With simply half an hour earlier than stumps, Ghulam was bowled by spinner Shoaib Bashir, ending a resolute 323-minute knock spiced with 11 fours and a six.
Ghulam stated 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,” stated Ghulam, who had a giant let-off on 79 when Ben Duckett did not get a tough likelihood off Leach.
“I saw that with a bated breath but Almighty was so kind to me,” stated Ghulam.
In the meantime, England employed a brief mid-off and two mid-wicket fielders to get wickets after lunch however the Multan pitch — the identical used for the primary Take a look at — gave little or no assist to the spinners after some early promise.
Skipper Ben Stokes, certainly one of two modifications from England’s thumping innings win within the first Take a look at, bowled 5 overs and confirmed no indicators of the hamstring damage that compelled him to overlook the primary Take a look at.
Matthew Potts ended Ayub’s knock when the batsman patted to Stokes at brief mid-off whereas Brydon Carse eliminated Saud Shakeel for 4, the dismissals coming both aspect of the tea interval.
Leach has figures of 2-92 whereas Bashir, Carse and Potts have a wicket every.
Abdullah Shafique was bowled by Leach for seven within the eighth over of the morning with the rating on 15.
In his subsequent over, the left-arm spinner had skipper Shan Masood caught low at brief midwicket by Zak Crawley for 3.
England lead the three-match collection 1-0.
Pakistan Enjoying 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 Enjoying 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
