Most importantly, opener Shan Masood batted with authority at the helm. On the opening Test at the Multan Cricket Stadium, Masood started with a fluent 151 on the opening day with an important 253-run partnership, which was a centurion as well, with Abdullah Shafique, after which Pakistan came out dominating with a first innings total of 328 for four. Here is Masood’s return to form.
Masood’s Stellar Return to Form
Masood scored his first Test century in four years, playing 151 off 177 balls to herald a turnaround for homelands for Pakistan with him at the helm. Recent criticism faced by the Pakistanis following the loss of five consecutive Tests and a series against Bangladesh was forgotten as Masood’s innings was a mix of the patience shown and aggression adopted. His boundaries had to happen, and they did – 13 and two sixes meant to take on the challenges from the new look of England’s pace attack.
Shafique, who had been struggling to find form, made a statement when he smashed 102, and his innings was a mix of solid defense and precise attacking strokes that featured 10 fours and two sixes. Shafique underlined how important his partnership with Masood was. “The way Shan and I made the partnership, was crucial for us. Red-ball cricket is not an easy game, but focusing on the process helped us perform,” he said.
For the English bowlers, especially their team captain Chris Woakes and newcomer Brydon Carse, it will be torture to bowl in the scorching heat of Multan. Gus Atkinson has emerged as the most impressive bowler so far taking two wickets for 70 runs, followed by Chipping with one for 61 runs conceded by Jack Leach. None of them got any assistance from the fielding ground which was no help to the pace bowlers or the spinners.
Assistant coach Jeetan Patel reflected on the bowlers’ performance, terming it good despite the challenging conditions. “The toil the bowlers put in today was great. They tried all sorts of things to try and get that partnership to break, and though we would have liked a few more wickets, it is a learning experience on these sub-continental pitches,” he said.
The day started with Pakistan on the back foot as opener Saim Ayub fell early to Atkinson, leaving the hosts at eight for one. In what initially looked to be another much-needed break for England, Carse trapped Masood lbw on 16, but a successful review overturned the decision. From here, Masood and Shafique took charge, and their partnership went on to shut down England’s much-needed early momentum.
Masood got his hundred in a rush, hitting boundaries off seamers as well as spinners. Shafique did have anxious moments in the opening of his innings but joined the party straightaway and brought up his hundred with a six off Leach. Their stand gave Pakistan a solid base to launch their innings from before England could snatch the partnership for 261.
Finally, the visitors saw a glimmer of hope as Atkinson dismissed Shafique for 102 and Masood returned to Castle Leach. England’s perseverance again paid off when Woakes trapped Babar Azam lbw with the second new ball for 30. Babar’s dismissal continued his dry run in Tests, with no fifty in his last 17 innings.
Yet, those late breakthroughs were not enough to spoil the end of the day, as Saud Shakeel was still unbeaten on 35, and nightwatchman Naseem Shah was not out at the crease.
Pakistan, with the task ahead of them to bat again at 328 for four, needs to come out strongly with a good start to carry on on day two. But England needs to get back together and find a way past Pakistan’s middle-order to stay in the game.
There is work for both teams to do as the match goes on. The Multan pitch, which will, no doubt, help the spinners plenty over the next couple of days, will be the keystone of bowlers such as Leach and Shoaib Bashir for England, while Pakistan will look to build a winnable total that puts pressure on the tourists.
Tests Remaining: Tests remaining in the series are to be played in Multan from October 15 to 19 and then in Rawalpindi from October 24 to 28. This is going to make both teams look at getting the upper hand after losing the first Test of this closely contested series.
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