PAK vs ENG 2nd Test Day 1 Highlights: Kamran Ghulam Slams Century On Debut In An Attritional Day Of Test Cricket

Kamran Ghulam, Saim Ayub headline Pakistan's batting day out [Source: @TheRealPCB/x]

Debutant Kamran Ghulam and young opener Saim Ayub anchored Pakistan’s faltering innings on the opening day of the second Test after captain Shan Masood won the toss and opted to bat first on a spin-friendly Multan surface against England.

Here’s the timeline of how PAK vs ENG panned out in Multan:

PAK vs ENG Highlights: Saim Ayub, Kamran Ghulam Stabilise PAK After Early Wickets

English spinner Jack Leach took home the early honours by accounting for the wickets of Pakistan opener Abdullah Shafique and captain Shan Masood within the opening hour of play. Leach’s double strike prompted debutant Kamran Ghulam to form forces with unbeaten opener Saim Ayub at 19-2 in just the tenth over of the innings.

Ayub and Ghulam remained unbeaten at 40* and 29* respectively, and shared 60 runs for the third wicket to take Pakistan to relative safety at 79-2 at the end of the 29-over opening session.

PAK vs ENG Highlights: Saim Ayub Misses Century At The Stroke Of Tea To Potts

Saim Ayub and Kamran Ghulam listed their respective half-centuries and nearly batted out the second session. After sharing a fighting 149-run stand for the third wicket, left-handed Ayub was holed out at short mid-off by Ben Stokes off Matthew Potts to miss his maiden Test century. Regardless, the 22-year-old charted his career-best score of 77 from 160 deliveries with seven elegant boundaries.

Kamran Ghulam, who recorded his maiden Test half-century on debut from the other end, reached 75* alongside unbeaten Saud Shakeel (4*) to take Pakistan to 173-3 from 57 overs by Tea break.

PAK vs ENG Highlights: Ghulam’s Debut Ton Carries PAK Until Bashir’s Late Strike

Saud Shakeel nicked one towards Jamie Smith off Brydon Carse for just four mere moments into the final session of the day. Shakeel’s early departure did not seemed to faze a resolute Kamran Ghulam, as the Pakistani debutant went on to smack his maiden Test century while forming a 50-plus partnership with senior teammate Mohammad Rizwan.

Ghulam smeared 11 boundaries and a six in a 118-run knock during his 224-ball defiance before the number four batter was knocked over by visiting spinner Shoaib Bashir. Mohammad Rizwan (37*) survived the remaining six overs of the day alongside in-form Agha Salman (5*) as Pakistan reached 259-5 from 90 overs by stumps.

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