Pakistan is hosting England for a three-match Test series, with England currently leading 1-0. The second Test is taking place at Multan Stadium, a venue known for its unique challenges and passionate crowd. As the teams took the field for Day 2, all eyes were on the players as they aimed to seize momentum in this pivotal match. Here’s an overview of the action and highlights from the second day of the second Test.
Day 2 Session 1
The second day began with good weather, and Mohammed Rizwan and Agha Salman walked out to the middle. Brydon Carse started the proceedings for England with the ball. Carse didn't take long to get the breakthrough as he dismissed Rizwan early in the day. It was a great start for England to dismiss a well-set batsman. Aamer Jamal then joined Agha Salman in the middle, and both started well, scoring frequent boundaries that brought Pakistan's total to 300. However, Agha Salman's attempt at the same shot that had been successful four times before led to his dismissal by Potts just before the drinks break. The session continued with another wicket, Sajid Khan, was dismissed by Leach. With two wickets to go, England were ahead. However, Noman Ali surprised everyone by batting comfortably in the middle along with Aamer Jamal. The tail-enders added 49 runs for the 9th wicket as the session ended, with Pakistan adding 99 runs and losing 3 wickets.
End of Session 1 (Pakistan - 358/8 Kamran Ghulam 118, Saim Ayub 77, Brydon Carse 3/50)
Day Session 2
The session after lunch began with an immediate breakthrough for England, as Aamer Jamal was bowled by Brydon Carse with a brilliant delivery. The last wicket for Pakistan fell to Jack Leach, who dismissed Zahid Mahmood, who had come in with a defensive approach and attempted to rotate the strike to Noman Ali. However, the partnership didn’t last long, as Noman Ali was caught by Brydon Carse while attempting a slog sweep. This marked the end of Pakistan's innings, concluding at 366 all out. Given the two-paced nature of the wicket, Pakistan will be satisfied with this total, especially after their tailenders put together a valuable partnership.
As England began their innings, openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett took to the middle with Aamer Jamal delivering the new ball. The first over was eventful, with Jamal overstepping and conceding a boundary to start England's innings. True to form, England quickly found their rhythm, scoring 69 runs in the first 10 overs. Pakistan’s new bowling attack appeared ineffective, allowing England to start their innings with a bang. In response, Shan Masood turned to his spinners, and Noman Ali struck immediately, dismissing Crawley for 26 runs and breaking the opening stand of 73 runs with a well-taken catch by Rizwan. Ollie Pope joined Ben Duckett at the crease, and Duckett reached his half-century in just 47 balls, showcasing a brilliant counter-attacking knock against the Pakistani spinners. Both batsmen steadied the innings after the loss of the first wicket. By the end of the session, England had faced 17 overs, scoring 88 runs, and ended the session on a high note.
End of Session 2 ( Pakistan 366/10, England 88/1 Ben Duckett 53, Noman Ali 1/33)
Day 3 Session 3
The last session began with Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope taking on the bowlers, adding 50 runs for the third wicket before Sajid Khan dismissed Pope with a brilliant delivery. Pumped after the breakthrough, Sajid Khan watched as Joe Root, the in-form batsman, walked to the crease. While Root took his time to settle in, Duckett maintained his aggressive tempo, bringing up his fourth Test century and second against Pakistan, showcasing his ability to handle the spinners effectively. Root and Duckett then added 89 runs for the partnership before Sajid Khan struck again, dismissing Root as he dragged a delivery back onto his stumps, leaving England at 216/3. Harry Brook came in next to join Duckett, but in a dramatic turn of events, Duckett was dismissed by Sajid Khan just nine balls later, ending his solid innings. With the score at 225/4, in walked captain Ben Stokes, but Sajid Khan wasn’t done yet; he dismissed Brook in the same over, claiming his fourth wicket of the innings. In no time, England had slipped from 211/2 to 225/5. This remarkable comeback from Pakistan put them in a commanding position in the match. As the day progressed, England approached their batting cautiously. At the end of the day, they found themselves at 239/6, trailing by 127 runs. It was a thrilling last session of cricket, with Sajid Khan dismantling England’s top order with ease, and Pakistan finished the day on a high note, firmly in control of the Test match.
End of Session 3 ( Pakistan 366/10, England 239/6 Ben Duckett 114, Sajid Khan 4/86)
