MULTAN, OCT 16 (DNA) : Pakistan returned to the crease at Multan on Wednesday, day two of the second Test, as debutant Kamran Ghulam’s century steadied the innings against England.
Aamer Jamal’s unbeaten 37 and Noman Ali’s 29 further bolstered Pakistan’s position, as they reached 358-8 at lunch on the second day of the second Test.
The lower order’s resilience was on full display, with Jamal and Ali combining for a crucial 49-run partnership. However, the hosts faced an early setback as Mohammad Rizwan was dismissed for 41 by Brydon Carse.
Despite the challenges, Pakistan showed determination in the face of the visitors’ dominance in during the opening hour, setting the stage for an intriguing continuation of the Test match.
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.
Jack Leach removed Sajid 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 England spinner Jack Leach striking twice in the first hour.
The debutant 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.
He 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.
Ghulam said his century was a reward for his wait.
“It is delightful to score a hundred and that too as a replacement for Babar Azam, who has been a great player for Pakistan,” said Ghulam, who had a big let-off on 79 when Ben Duckett failed to get a difficult chance off Leach.
“I saw that with a bated breath but Almighty was so kind to me,” said Ghulam.
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.
Skipper Ben Stokes, one of two changes from England’s thumping innings win in the first Test, bowled five overs and showed no signs of the hamstring injury that forced him to miss the first Test.
Matthew Potts ended Ayub’s knock when the batsman patted to Stokes at short mid-off while Brydon Carse removed Saud Shakeel for four, the dismissals coming either side of the tea interval.
Leach has figures of 2-92 while Bashir, Carse and Potts have a wicket each.
Abdullah Shafique was bowled by Leach for seven in the eighth over of the morning with the score on 15.
In his next over, the left-arm spinner had skipper Shan Masood caught low at short midwicket by Zak Crawley for three.
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
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