MULTAN – England posted a mammoth 823 runs in their second innings, marking fourth highest total in Test match history, and Pakistan’s batting lineup faltered in their second innings.
Opening batsman Abdullah Shafique was dismissed for a duck on the very first ball, falling victim to Chris Woakes. Youngster Saim Ayub scored mere 25 and was caught by Ben Duckett off Brydon Carse’s bowling.
Skipper Shan Masood managed to get 11 runs before also being dismissed by Gus Atkinson, while seasoned batter Babar Azam added just 5 runs to the tally.
| Batsman | Runs | Balls |
|---|---|---|
| Abdullah Shafique | 0 | 1 |
| Saim Ayub | 25 | 35 |
| Shan Masood (C) | 11 | 22 |
| Babar Azam | 5 | 15 |
| Mohammad Rizwan | 10 | 19 |
| Saud Shakeel (not out) | 13 | 20 |
| Salman Ali Agha (not out) | 0 | 8 |
Harry Brook was standout performer for England, scoring an impressive 317 runs off just 322 balls, while Joe Root added a solid 262 runs from 375 deliveries.
With commanding 267-run lead over Pakistan and just under 40 overs left in fourth day, Brook reached his double century by hitting a four off spinner Saim Ayub. His achievement made him the sixth English player to score 300 or more runs in a Test match, featuring 28 fours and three sixes.
Brook’s feat places him among legends like Andy Sandham, who was the first to score a triple century in Test cricket, achieving 325 against the West Indies in 1930. Other notable English players who have reached this milestone include Len Hutton, Wally Hammond, Graham Gooch, and Bill Edrich.
Despite Brook’s heroics, Pakistan’s innings faced early trouble as Abdullah Shafique was dismissed for a duck on the very first ball. Joe Root, meanwhile, was unfortunate to miss out on his maiden triple century, getting out leg-before to spinner Agha Salman for 262 shortly after lunch.
With England’s dominance evident, the Multan Test is shaping up to be a historic encounter as Pakistan strives to recover in their second innings.
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