Pakistan vs England, 2nd Test, Day 1: Ahmed spins magic as England are all out for 281

Pakistan debutant Abrar Ahmed mesmerised England on Friday, grabbing seven wickets as the visitors were bowled all out for 281 on the opening day of the second Test in Multan.

Match Summary

Pakistan vs England, 2nd Test, England tour of Pakistan

Pakistan *107/2 (28 ov)

England 281/10 (51.4 ov)

Day Break : Day 1 Pakistan trail by 174 runs.

SCORECARD

The 24-year-old -- nicknamed "Harry Potter" by friends because he wears glasses similar to those of the fictional boy wizard -- produced magic of his own to finish with 7-114.

In reply, Pakistan were 107-2 at the close, with skipper Babar Azam unbeaten on 61 and Saud Shakeel on 32, trailing by 174 runs.

Of the 12 wickets that fell on the day, James Anderson was the only fast bowler to dismiss a batter when he found an edge off Pakistan opener Imam-ul-Haq, who departed without scoring.

Abdullah Shafique scored 14 before edging spinner Jack Leach to keeper Ollie Pope, but Azam and Shakeel saw off the day with a third-wicket unbroken stand of 56.

The day belonged to the home team, and Ahmed in particular.

Under pressure to square the series, Azam's wish came true when the pitch took turn from the outset.

He brought on Ahmed in just the ninth over, and the spinner repaid him by bowling Crawley with a sharp incoming delivery -- only his fifth ball in Test cricket.

Ahmed then trapped Duckett and Root leg-before -- both given out only after Azam reviewed the on-field calls.

He made it 167-5 when Pope and Brook miscued aggressive shots and were caught.

Ben Stokes (30) and Will Jacks (31) defied the assault after lunch for a 61-run sixth-wicket stand before Ahmed removed the England captain.

Ben Duckett (63) and Pope (60) were the main scorers in an England innings that finished at the stroke of tea, after skipper Stokes won the toss and decided to bat.

Spinner Zahid Mahmood claimed the last three wickets to finish with 3-63.

Ahmed's figures were the second-best on debut by a Pakistan bowler -- behind pacer Mohammad Zahid's 7-66 against New Zealand in Rawalpindi in 1996.

He is the 13th Pakistan bowler to take five or more wickets in an innings on debut.

England, on their first tour of Pakistan since 2005, lead the three-match series 1-0 after winning the first Test in Rawalpindi by 74 runs.

Match Stats

England Fall of wickets: 1-38 (Zak Crawley - 8.5 ov), 2-117 (Ben Duckett - 18.6 ov), 3-145 (Joe Root - 24.1 ov), 4-164 (Ollie Pope - 28.4 ov), 5-167 (Harry Brook - 30.5 ov), 6-228 (Ben Stokes - 42.3 ov), 7-231 (Will Jacks - 44.5 ov), 8-245 (Ollie Robinson - 47.3 ov), 9-245 (Jack Leach - 47.4 ov), 10-281 (James Anderson - 51.4 ov)

Pakistan Fall of wickets: 1-5 (Imam ul Haq - 2.2 ov), 2-51 (Abdullah Shafique - 13.3 ov)

Playing XI

Pakistan: Imam ul Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam (C), Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Agha Salman, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Zahid Mahmood, Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Ali-II

England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (WK), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (C), Will Jacks, Ollie Robinson, Jack Leach, Mark Wood, James Anderson

 

Match Details

Date: Friday, December 9, 2022 05:00

Venue: Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan

Toss: England won the toss & elected to bat