First Test, Multan: Day One Recap
Pakistan Dominates with 328-4
Masood 151, Shafique 102; Atkinson 2-70
England: Yet to Bat
In a challenging start to their tour of Pakistan, England faced a formidable batting display from the hosts on the first day of the Test match in Multan. Pakistan ended the day at an impressive score of 328 for four, bolstered by centuries from Shan Masood and Abdullah Shafique.
Two years ago, England achieved an extraordinary clean sweep against Pakistan with a 3-0 series victory. However, this time around they are contending with a different squad and under contrasting conditions that made this encounter particularly daunting.
Winning the toss in sweltering heat allowed Pakistan to seize the opportunity to bat first on what appeared to be an exceptionally flat pitch. Gus Atkinson managed to dismiss Saim Ayub early in just the fourth over; however, it was soon overshadowed by a remarkable partnership between opener Shafique and captain Masood that amassed 253 runs for the second wicket.
Masood had an early scare when he was given out lbw off debutant Brydon Carse at just 16 runs but successfully overturned that decision. Similarly, Shafique narrowly avoided being run out by stand-in captain Ollie Pope when he was on 34 runs. Both batsmen eventually fell within quick succession—Shafique scored a solid century (102) before being dismissed by Atkinson while Masood’s innings concluded at an impressive 151 after falling prey to Jack Leach.
At one point during their innings at 263-3, England harbored hopes of making further breakthroughs but those aspirations were dimmed as Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel added another crucial partnership of 61 runs before Chris Woakes trapped Babar leg before wicket.
Brendon McCullum had expressed prior to this match that England understood the challenges ahead—a sentiment likely inspired by days like these where conditions proved tough for his side. He also addressed concerns regarding bowling consultant James Anderson’s late arrival; Anderson played a pivotal role in England’s previous success two years ago but his absence as an active player raises questions about how much impact he could have had under these circumstances.
The toss played a significant role in shaping today’s events. Despite initial discussions about potentially favorable green pitches for bowlers, last-minute preparations left behind what turned into more of a batting-friendly surface than anticipated.
With little else available apart from hoping for better luck during coin tosses or perhaps different calls from Pope himself, there wasn’t much more England could have done differently today. This challenge is particularly steep given their pace attack has limited experience playing overseas alongside young spinner Shoaib Bashir and Leach returning after months away from Test cricket since January.
Despite battling through temperatures soaring around 35 degrees Celsius along with limited preparation time due to injuries—including missing captain Ben Stokes—England displayed commendable resilience throughout their efforts today culminating in securing Babar’s prized wicket which they can take pride in achieving amidst adversity.
Looking ahead, there is optimism among tourists regarding potential improvements when it comes time for them to bat as conditions may remain conducive for scoring runs—but exactly when they will get that chance remains uncertain.
Ananya Upadhyay is an experienced freelance journalist specializing in investigative reporting on health and environmental issues. She is a college student and contributes to The Right Opinion, she delivers impactful news with deep analysis to inform and engage global audiences.
