Multan, October 17, 2024 — England was in an excellent position at tea on the second day of the second Test against Pakistan in Multan, following a lunch innings break after an attacking half-century by opener Ben Duckett. Ben Duckett led England to 88-1 in reply to Pakistan’s total of 366, all to equalize the game in the series.
Ben Duckett maintained his good form, scoring a fluent 53 off just 47 balls as the tea break approached. His attacking mindset had set the tone for England’s reply as they sought to chase the challenging first-innings score put up by Pakistan. Using a variety of sweeps and some powerful strokes, Duckett quickly made inroads against a Pakistani attack that was heavily reliant on spin.
Pakistan could not check Duckett’s aggression, particularly when the pace spearheads were out of the picture. Aamer Jamal, the only specialist seamer available for Pakistan, bowled just a couple of overs at the beginning of the innings before handing it over to the spinners. Sajid Khan, who came into the attack quite early, had several nervy moments but couldn’t send the in-form opening batsman packing as he kept holding the fort with consistent scoring.
However, Zak Crawley fell to a beautiful left-arm spinner Noman Ali for 27 after being off to a good start. He had survived an lbw review that would have dismissed him by mere inches in the very same over that he later gloved behind. Crawley then played in a sedate enough manner to complement Duckett’s aggression as England went forward to build a solid platform. When Crawley finally fell, Ollie Pope came in with Duckett and helped steady the innings before tea at 5 not out.
Pakistan showed dependence on spin as much in their opening bowling by off-spinner Sajid Khan. With no consistent pace attack, they have become vulnerable in the absence of effective support for him, especially for Aamer Jamal, as their bowlers had been found wanting to strangle the English batsmen on this rather docile track. Pakistan skipper had no choice but to keep shuffling his bowlers more than once as he reckoned that this was the best way to enforce a break in England’s momentum.
The pitch wasn’t as hostile in the afternoon as Pakistan might have hoped it to turn out. They did have been able to use the conditions to good effect early in the game, troubling England’s top order with reverse swing and spin, and looking to cash in if the signs of deterioration with day three.
Pakistan was earlier restricted to 366 for the loss of nine wickets in the first innings by that evening, thanks to a stellar bowling effort by England’s bowling unit. The best bowler for England’s team was a left-arm spinner, who bagged 4 for 114. Brydon Carse was equally good too, picking up 3 for 50 while Matthew Potts returned with 2 for 66.
The Pakistani lower order was not so yielding for a smooth passage for England. Debutant Kamran Ghulam was most useful with 118 runs; in fact, Saim Ayub contributed handsomely to the total tally with 77 runs. Tail-enders of the hosts could manage some crucial 57 runs for the last two wickets, which once again pushed their score before Leach broke that resistance.
Pakistan resumed the day on 259-5. Mohammad Rizwan was the first to go, behind Carse’s bowling, before Agha Salman and Aamer Jamal worked in tandem to construct a crucial lower-order stand. Salman played a string of well-timed shots that kept the scoreboard ticking and saw Pakistan over the 300 mark before he fell to Potts.
Kamran Ghulam’s century was the anchor for Pakistan’s innings on the first day; his composed knock ensured that the home team put up a competitive score. However, it was the inability of Pakistan to cash in partnerships against thug bowling by Leach and Carse that made them vulnerable.
Having nine wickets in hand and Ben Duckett’s half-century having dictated the first part of the game, England are well ahead of Pakistan, with England leading by 278 at stumps on the second day and would look to put up a sufficiently big lead to give them a good chance of victory in the second innings.
For Pakistan, it will be their spin-heavy attack which takes advantage of any cracks in the pitch as this match goes along. Noman Ali and Sajid Khan are going to be the ones to break those England partnerships early on the third day, forcing the home side to regroup fast before this game goes out of their hands.
England will welcome this but at the end of the second Test at Multan, the game remains evenly poised: thanks to Ben Duckett’s aggressive knock and the superlative bowling earlier in the day. As both Pakistan spinners now look to push the game towards its next leg, the contest that is to be expected should offer an interesting contest going into it.
It would also be a defining point in the series; after all, England will look to seal supremacy on their tour while Pakistan will be desperate to fight back on their territory.
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