Pakistan vs England 1st Test Day 2: Pakistan Dominates with Agha Salman’s Near Century

On the second day of the first Test between Pakistan and England in Multan, Pakistan extended their dominance by surpassing 500 runs, thanks largely to Agha Salman’s impressive performance as he approached a century. Salman took charge after teammate Saud Shakeel fell short of his century. Earlier, Pakistan set a solid foundation on Day 1 with an outstanding 253-run partnership between captain Shan Masood and opener Abdullah Shafique, who scored 151 and 102, respectively. Pakistan closed Day 1 at 328/4.

The morning session on Day 2 saw Shakeel reach his tenth 50-plus score in 13 Tests, supported by nightwatchman Naseem Shah. Naseem displayed resilience by scoring 33 runs from 81 balls, his highest in any format, and contributed to a 64-run stand with Shakeel. England’s bowlers, including Jack Leach and debutant Brydon Carse, made breakthroughs but struggled to contain Pakistan’s momentum.

Agha Salman, having been scoreless at lunch, made his intentions clear post-break by striking the first ball after the interval for four, helping Pakistan reach 400. His aggressive play against England’s spinners, notably taking four fours and two sixes off Jack Leach, pushed Pakistan to a commanding position. Salman narrowly avoided dismissal when Chris Woakes, attempting a boundary save, failed to complete a legal catch due to stepping on the boundary rope.

Despite challenges, including Shakeel’s dismissal at 88 by a sharply turning ball from Shoaib Bashir, Salman maintained Pakistan’s lead with strategic scoring. His efforts, combined with contributions from the tail-end, particularly Shaheen Afridi, ensured Pakistan concluded its innings at an imposing total of 556.

England’s response began cautiously with Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope opening the innings as Ben Duckett remained sidelined due to a suspected thumb dislocation. Duckett sustained the injury while attempting a catch and it remains uncertain if he will open for England in the remaining sessions.

As the third session of Day 2 progressed, it was evident that England faced a considerable challenge responding to Pakistan’s sizable lead. Salman’s innings, coupled with solid contributions from other Pakistani batsmen, has placed Pakistan in a strong position, leaving their bowlers with ample opportunity to pressure the English batting lineup.