The opening Test between Pakistan and England showcased a strong batting performance by Pakistan on a good batting pitch. Captain Shan Masood’s century after a 4-year gap and an impressive innings from Abdullah Shafique set the tone, even as England’s bowlers struggled to gain control.
Session 1: Pakistan Dominate After Early Loss Saim Ayub fell cheaply, scoring just 4 runs before being bowled by Gus Atkinson. However, Shan Masood and Abdullah Shafique solidified Pakistan’s innings. Shan displayed intent, aggressively scoring boundaries, particularly targeting Shoaib Bashir, whom he punished for 42 runs in his first 6-over spell. By lunch, Pakistan was comfortably placed at 122/1.
Session 2: Centuries and Big Partnerships Shan and Abdullah continued their impressive form post-lunch, taking advantage of a seemingly inexperienced England bowling attack. They maintained a brisk scoring rate, and Pakistan reached 200 runs in just 42.2 overs. England’s bowlers struggled to find breakthroughs as both batsmen confidently rotated the strike. Shan completed his 5th Test century, his first as captain, while Abdullah neared his own century. Pakistan stood strong at 233/1 at the tea break, with Abdullah on 94 and Shan leading at 130.
Session 3: England’s Late Comeback Shortly after tea, Abdullah reached his century—his fourth in Test cricket and second against England—before being dismissed by Gus Atkinson for 102, breaking a massive 253-run partnership. Shan followed soon after, falling to Jack Leach for 151. Despite these quick wickets, Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel played positively, with Saud making an aggressive statement by hitting three consecutive boundaries off Leach. England’s captain Ollie Pope employed attacking field placements, helping England’s bowlers pick up crucial wickets. After 81 overs, the new ball was taken, and Chris Woakes struck late in the day, dismissing Babar Azam for 30. By the end of the day, Pakistan were 328/4.
Pakistan dominated the first two sessions, maintaining control with consistent batting. However, England made a strong comeback in the final session, picking up three vital wickets, including the set batsmen Abdullah and Shan, and Pakistan’s star player, Babar Azam. The day’s play ended in a balanced position, with both sides vying for dominance heading into Day 2.
courtesy Dawn News