Pakistan bounced back in the game as four English wickets fell in a span of a few overs including robust opener Ben Duckett leading England to finish the second day’s play of the second Test against Pakistan at 239/6 at the Multan Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.
Pakistan’s Sajid Khan got his team back in the game as he grabbed the all-important wickets of centurion Duckett, Harry Brook and Joe Root. Earlier, he had dismissed Ollie Pope.
The visiting side were pretty much leading the game from the top with Duckett’s smashing hundred to lead England’s robust reply to Pakistan’s first-innings 366.
Duckett reached his fourth Test hundred on 129 balls — his slowest-ever hundred comparing to his ton on 88 balls vs India, 105 balls vs Pakistan and 106 balls vs Ireland.
Root was with Duckett, cheering him on but failed to replicate his partner’s score and was dismissed by Sajid Khan after scoring 34 off 54 balls, leaving England at 211/3.
Within the next couple of overs, Pakistan’s bowlers found their rhythm and dismissed Duckett at 114 runs, dangerman Harry Brook and skipper Ben Stokes.
Earlier, the touring side side were 88 for one at tea with Duckett unbeaten on 53 and Pope on five.
Duckett combined in a breezy 73-run opening stand with Zak Crawley, who led a charmed life before he fell for 27.
Crawley survived a run-out after a mix-up with Duckett only because bowler Sajid Khan had broken the stumps before he could collect the ball.
Sajid appeared to have redeemed himself in the next over when his lbw appeal against Crawley was upheld.
Pakistan’s joy was short-lived, however, as Crawley, convinced by Duckett, reviewed the decision, which was reversed after replays confirmed the ball would have narrowly missed the stumps.
Crawley could not make the most of the reprieves, though, and fell to Noman Ali.
After the caught-behind against Crawley had been turned down, left-arm spinner Noman cajoled his captain Shan Masood to review the decision and replays confirmed an edge.
Pakistan all out for 366
Earlier, Pakistan were all out for 366 in their first innings on day two of the second Test with debutant Kamran Ghulam top scoring for the hosts with a fluent 118 and Saim Ayub contributing 77.
Spinner Jack Leach (4-114) and seamer Brydon Carse (3-50) impressed with the ball for England, who are 1-0 up in the three-Test series.
Aamer Jamal and Noman Ali showcased the resilience of Pakistan’s lower order, reaching 358 for eight at lunch on day two of the second Test against England in Multan on Wednesday.
Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha opened the second day at 37 and five, respectively, on 259-5. However, the Green Shirts soon lost Rizwan to Brydon Carse for 41 as England dominated the opening hour.
Rizwan had survived a strong lbw appeal in the previous over from Matthew Potts but edged Carse and Jamie Smith took a sharp catch behind the stumps.
Meanwhile, Agha contributed 31 but failed to convert the start into a big knock. He also fell caught behind after Potts managed to extract some extra bounce from a docile track, inducing an edge that nestled into Smith’s gloves.
Leach removed Khan for two but Jamal frustrated England even though the batter struggled to get going and needed on-field treatment.
Jamal is the lone specialist seamer in Pakistan’s spin-heavy attack and his fitness is crucial for the home side’s hopes of levelling the series in Multan.
Previously, Ghulam, 29, hit a superb century on his debut to guide Pakistan to 259-5 on the opening day of the second Test, replacing out-of-form Babar Azam at number four and foiled England’s aggressive bowling and fielding to score 118.
Ghulam led a fightback after the hosts, who won the toss, were struggling at 19-2 with Leach striking twice in the first hour. He added 149 for the defiant third wicket with Saim Ayub, who hit a career-best 77, and another 65 for the fifth wicket with Rizwan.
The debutant reached three figures with a boundary off spinner Joe Root, taking 280 minutes and becoming Pakistan’s 12th batter to score a century in his first Test.
With just half an hour before stumps, Ghulam was bowled by spinner Shoaib Bashir, ending a resolute 323-minute knock spiced with 11 fours and a six.
Meanwhile, England employed a short mid-off and two mid-wicket fielders to get wickets after lunch but the Multan pitch — the same used for the first Test — gave very little help to the spinners after some early promise.
England lead the three-match series 1-0.
Pakistan Playing XI
Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood (captain), Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Aamir Jamal, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan and Zahid Mehmood
England Playing XI
Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith (wk), Brydon Carse, Matt Potts, Jack Leach and Shoaib Bashir
