5 hours Ago
Report Naseem cameo helps strengthen Pakistan position Nightwatcher makes career-best score while Saud Shakeel beds in with another fifty Alan Gardner 08-Oct-2024 • 22 mins ago Naseem Shah made a career-best 33 • Getty Images {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"ImageObject","contentUrl":"https://img1.hscicdn.
com/image/upload/f_auto/lsci/db/PICTURES/CMS/388600/388669.4.jpg","caption":"Naseem Shah made a career-best 33"} Lunch Pakistan 397 for 6 (Shakeel 67*, Salman 0*) vs England Pakistan continued to build on solid foundations, despite losing two wickets during the morning session in Multan.
Saud Shakeel notched his 10th 50-plus score in 13 Tests and was unbeaten at lunch to steer the home side in pursuit of a match-defining first-innings score - but it was the unlikely figure of Naseem Shah who proved the major irritant for England. Naseem, resuming his role as nightwatcher, made his highest score in any format of the game - 33 from 81 balls - and held up England's persevering attack for more than 90 minutes. His efforts, which included hitting three sixes during a stand of 64 alongside Shakeel, ensured that there would be no quick route back into the game for the tourists, after centuries for Shan Masood and Abdullah Shafique set the tone on day one.
England's successes with the ball came in the form of a maiden Test wicket for Brydon Carse , who finally ended Naseem's stout resistance, and a second of the innings for Jack Leach. Pakistan quietly added 69 in the session but saw their ambitions checked just before the interval when Mohammad Rizwan drove Leach to mid-off to depart without scoring. England had been encouraged after their toil on the first day by taking three wickets in the final session, including that of Babar Azam with the second new ball.
That ball was still only five overs old when play resumed, with Chris Woakes and Gus Atkinson looking to test Naseem's technique around off stump. Naseem was beaten several times early on but kept his composure. His first boundary came via a controlled steer wide of the cordon and when he was drawn into edging one from Atkinson, the lack of pace in the pitch meant it bounced well short of second slip.
With Shakeel ticking along towards his half-century and Naseem settling into his unaccustomed role, England went with spin from one end and short-ball tactics from the other. Naseem was hit on the back of the helmet by Atkinson, but far from cowing the nightwatcher it only encouraged a more expansive approach, as he jumped out to launch Shoaib Bashir over long-on. Shakeel went to fifty - his fifth against England in four Tests - with a sweep in the same over.
Naseem, emboldened, soon eclipsed his previous Test best of 18, before twice depositing Jack Leach beyond the ropes - the second an audacious inside-to-out hit over extra cover. The stand passed 50 and Naseem was outscoring his senior partner by the time he finally succumbed to Carse's round-the-wicket attack, gloving into the hands of leg slip. England Pakistan Pakistan vs England England tour of Pakistan Alan Gardner is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo.
@alanroderick.
