MULTAN – Skipper Shan Masood and opener Abdullah Shafique scored centuries as Pakistan scored 328 for four on the opening day of the first Test against England at the Multan Cricket Stadium on Monday.
Saud Shakeel (35 not out, 72b, 5x4s) and Naseem Shah (0 not out, 3b), coming as a nightwatchman, will resume their batting tomorrow morning.
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, Pakistan’s opening pair of Abdullah and Saim Ayub got together, but it took only 3.4 overs for the tourists to send left-handed Saim back to the hut, when he was caught behind on the leg side for four off 10 balls.
With the scorecard reading 8-1, Shan joined Abdullah in the middle and the pair made sure that the hosts did not lose more wickets till tea.
Resuming at 122 for one after lunch, both batters went on to score their hundreds. Shan brought up his fifth Test and 28th first-class century off 102 balls, which included 10 fours and two sixes, while Abdullah Shafique brought up his 10th first-class century with a six. His 100 runs came off 165 balls, which included 10 fours and two sixes.
The partnership of 253 runs for the second wicket between Abdullah and Shan was broken soon after the tea interval, as Abdullah fell to Gus Atkinson for 102 off 184 balls. This partnership was the fourth highest second-wicket partnership for Pakistan in Test cricket.
Shan (151, 177b, 13x4s, 2x6s), who scored his first century after taking over as captain in December 2023, soon followed Abdullah as Pakistan lost two wickets in quick succession.
Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel got together and stitched a 61-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Babar, just before the close of play, was adjudged leg-before-wicket for a 71-ball 30.
Gus Atkinson bagged two wickets for 70, while Chris Woakes and Jack Leach snapped a wicket each.
