Stumps Day 2 as Pakistan Take Command as England Trail by 460 Runs in Multan
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| England ended Day 2 at 96/1, trailing by 460 runs. / Getty |
The second day of the Test match between Pakistan and England at Multan was a showcase of batting dominance, with Pakistan extending their first-innings total to a formidable 556 before England responded with 96/1 by stumps.
Pakistan's Batting Prowess: Salman Shines
Starting the day at 413/6, Pakistan's batters continued to capitalize on the flat Multan surface. Saud Shakeel, overnight on 68*, missed out on a deserved century, falling for 82 after struggling to rotate the strike consistently.
Nightwatchman Naseem Shah surprised with a gritty 33 early in the morning session, frustrating the England bowlers.
Mohammad Rizwan’s 12-ball duck was a setback, but Pakistan found hope in an outstanding 9th wicket partnership between Agha Salman and Shaheen Afridi. The duo added 85 runs, with Salman reaching his third Test century, finishing unbeaten on 104*. Shaheen contributed with a valuable 25 before Pakistan were eventually bowled out for 556 in 149 overs.
Jack Leach led England’s bowling efforts with 3/160, while others struggled to break Pakistan’s resilience on a batter-friendly pitch. Ben Duckett, England's opener, suffered a blow to his thumb while catching the final dismissal, forcing him to miss his chance at the top of the order.
England's Response: Crawley and Root Steady the Ship
England’s reply got off to a shaky start, with Ollie Pope falling for a silver duck, brilliantly caught by Aamir Jamal at mid-wicket. However, Zak Crawley and Joe Root stabilized the innings, putting together an unbroken 92-run partnership for the second wicket. Crawley, in fluent form, remains unbeaten on 64*, while Root is holding firm at 32*.
With England at 96/1 and still trailing by 460, Day 3 promises to be a crucial one. The visitors will look to accelerate their innings and avoid falling too far behind on what has been a flat but slow wicket.
What to Expect on Day 3 !!
As England head into Day 3, they'll aim to quicken their scoring rate and narrow the gap, setting up what could be an exciting moving day. Pakistan’s bowlers, particularly Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah, will be eager to make early breakthroughs and push for a sizable first-innings lead.
With Pakistan firmly in control after two days, England have a steep task ahead to prevent the hosts from running away with the game.