Masood leads Pakistan to dominant position in 1st test, Eng replying well

 


A sparkling 151 off 187 balls by skipper Shaan Masood and a typically classy & solid 104 by Abdullah Shafique followed by a hundred from Aga Salman put Pakistan on top after 2 days of test cricket in the 1st test between Pakistan & England .


England made a steady start in their first innings, scoring 96 for 1 in response to a formidable Pakistan's total of 556 on the second day of the first Test in the three-match series on Thursday. At the close of play, Zak Crawley was unbeaten on a spatkling  64, hitting 11 fours, while Joe Root remained not out on 32. Captain Ollie Pope was dismissed for a duck, caught brilliantly by Aamir Jamal, who dived to take a one-handed catch off Naseem Shah’s bowling.


Ollie Pope opened the innings in place of regular opener Ben Duckett, who injured his left thumb while catching Abrar Ahmed, Pakistan's number 11 batsman. Duckett’s availability to bat in this match is still uncertain. His effort brought an end to Pakistan's innings, which lasted nearly five and a half sessions.


Earlier it was all Pakistan on day 1 of the test with Abdullah Shafique and Shaan Masood getting glorious hundred . Skipper Masood took the attack to the England bowlers after they got the early scalp of Saim Ayub (4) . Masood was aggressive cutting , driving and pulling as he played breathtaking shots all around the ground while Shafique looked solid and classy with his drives and backfoot shots . After the long partnership was broken Babar Azam (30) got a start but again did not capitalise on it . Shakeel played well as he finally made a crisp 82 runs .


 Salman Agha (104*), became the third centurion for Pakistan in this match. Saud Shakeel contributed 82 runs, nightwatchman Naseem Shah added 33, and Shaheen Shah Afridi made a useful 26. For England, Jack Leach took three wickets for 160 runs, while Shoaib Bashir claimed one for 124. However, Pakistan faced little trouble from both spinners. Brydon Carse, who had been waiting for his first Test wicket, finally got it by dismissing Naseem. Carse took two wickets for 74 runs, while Gus Atkinson (2 for 99) and Chris Woakes (1 for 69) found limited assistance from the pitch.


In the first session, England did not allow Pakistan to score quickly. Carse ended Naseem's stay at the crease after nearly 90 minutes, while Leach dismissed Mohammad Rizwan for a duck. Saud Shakeel, resuming on 35, reached his half-century with a boundary off Bashir. However, Bashir had Shakeel caught by Root shortly after lunch. Agha then accelerated the scoring with some fine drives and sweep shots. On the first day, captain Shan Masood (151) and Abdullah Shafique (102) both scored centuries. Agha’s unbeaten 119-ball innings, featuring 10 fours and three sixes, pushed Pakistan’s total past 550.



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