MULTAN – Salman Ali Agha’s ton puts Pakistan in a commanding position as England trail by 460 runs with nine wickets in hand at the close of second day’s play of the first Test match at the Multan Cricket Stadium.
The touring side started off their innings trailing by 556 runs, and lost their captain Ollie Pope for naught after Aamir Jamal took a superb catch off the bowling of Naseem Shah.
After Pope’s departure, Zak Crawley (64 not out, 64b, 11x4s) and Joe Root (32 not out, 54b, 2x4s) got together and the pair added an unbroken 92-run partnership for the second wicket. England will start off the third day’s proceedings with 96 for one in 20 overs.
Earlier, resuming their first innings at the overnight score of 328 for four in 86 overs, Pakistan were all out for 556 in 149 overs in the final session. Salman Ali Agha, playing his 15th Test and coming to bat at number eight, scored an unbeaten 104 off 119 balls, which included 10 fours and three sixes.
Earlier, in the day, Saud Shakeel (35) and night-watchman Naseem Shah (0) started their innings and went on to add 64 runs for the fifth wicket. After Naseem’s (33, 81b, 1×4, 3x6s) departure in the 106th over, Mohammad Rizwan (0, 12b) soon followed him as Pakistan were 393 for six in 108.5 overs.
At that juncture of the game, Saud was joined by Salman and the pair stitched a 57-run partnership for the seventh wicket. Saud, after scoring 82 off 177 balls, including eight boundaries was dismissed by Shoaib Bashir. Salman, who once again batted smartly with the lower-order, knitted 85 runs for the ninth wicket with Shaheen Shah Afridi (26, 49b, 2x4s, 1×6).
For England, left-arm spinner Jack Leach went for 160 runs and took three wickets, while debutant Brydon Carse and right-arm pacer Gus Atkinson grabbed two wickets apiece.
