The opening day of the first Test between Pakistan and England concluded with the home team scoring 328/4, thanks to a resilient performance led by skipper Shan Masood at the Multan Cricket Stadium. Masood’s century played a crucial role in Pakistan’s recovery after an early setback.
Winning the toss and opting to bat first, Pakistan faced an early shock as opener Saim Ayub was caught behind off Gus Atkinson for just four runs. However, a 114-run partnership between Masood and opener Abdullah Shafique steadied the innings, guiding the team to 122/1 by lunch.
Masood, displaying exceptional form, scored a magnificent 151 runs off 177 balls, including 13 boundaries and two sixes. He survived an lbw appeal off Brydon Carse early in his innings, successfully overturning the decision upon review. Masood’s century and his strong partnership with Shafique were pivotal for Pakistan. Shafique, who was given a reprieve on 35, went on to score 102 runs off 184 balls with 10 boundaries and two sixes before being dismissed by England’s stand-in captain Ollie Pope.
Other contributions included Saud Shakeel, who remained unbeaten at 35, and Naseem Shah, who was at the crease with no runs at the end of the day’s play. Babar Azam aimed for a half-century but managed 30 off 71 balls before being dismissed by Chris Woakes through an lbw.
England’s bowlers had mixed success, with Atkinson taking two wickets and Woakes and Jack Leach each claiming one. Stand-in captain Pope played a crucial role in fielding and strategic moves in the absence of regular captain Ben Stokes, who missed the match due to a hamstring injury. Additionally, veteran James Anderson was not part of the squad, participating instead in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland.
The Test series marks the first red-ball clash between Pakistan and England since 2022, when England won 3-0. Historically, England has played 24 Tests in Pakistan, winning only two prior to their recent success. The match is part of the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25, adding to its significance.
Pakistan’s playing XI includes Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Salman Ali Agha, Aamir Jamal, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Abrar Ahmad. England’s team features Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (captain), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith, Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Jack Leach, and Shoaib Bashir.
Pakistan will resume their first innings on the second day, starting from their overnight score of 328/4, aiming to build a substantial total against the visitors.
