In the second Test of the series, Pakistan won the toss and chose to bat first on a pitch expected to significantly impact the match’s outcome.
Pakistan: (15 overs) 42/2
Jack Leach provided England with an early breakthrough, dismissing Abdullah Shafique with a beautifully executed delivery. Bowling around the wicket, Leach generated a perfect mix of drift and drop, with the ball straightening just enough to beat Shafique’s tentative defense, clipping the top of the off stump to break Pakistan’s opening stand.
Shan Masood, leading the team, cited the pitch conditions as the main reason for opting to bat first, aiming to set a solid foundation before the surface potentially deteriorates. Pakistan made several key changes to their lineup, with Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Abrar Ahmed missing out due to injuries and illness. In their place, Pakistan brought in four new players, including three spinners—Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, and Zahid Mahmood—along with Kamran Ghulam, as they seek to take advantage of the turning conditions.
Pakistan lineup: 1 Saim Ayub, 2 Abdullah Shafique, 3 Shan Masood (capt), 4 Kamran Ghulam, 5 Saud Shakeel, 6 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 7 Salman Agha, 8 Aamer Jamal, 9 Sajid Khan, 10 Noman Ali, 11 Zahid Mehmood.
England lineup: 1 Zak Crawley, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Ollie Pope, 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Ben Stokes (capt), 7 Jamie Smith (wk), 8 Matthew Potts, 9 Brydon Carse, 10 Jack Leach, 11 Shoaib Bashir.
England also made adjustments to their bowling attack, with Ben Stokes resting Chris Woakes and Gus Atkinson after a string of seven consecutive Tests. Matthew Potts joined the lineup, and England balanced their team with three seamers and three spinners. Stokes, confident in their strategy, commented, “We feel we’ve got all bases covered,” though he admitted he would have also chosen to bat first on the tricky pitch.
The surface, with visible cracks, is expected to favor spin bowlers as the match progresses. Cricket analysts Mike Atherton and Bazid Khan observed that while the pitch is rock-hard, it’s uncertain how much it will aid spinners immediately. Pakistan’s heavy reliance on spin is clear, with up to seven possible options, including part-timers Salman Agha and Saim Ayub.
With Pakistan looking to make the most of batting first, all eyes are on whether Shan Masood’s team can post a formidable total. England, meanwhile, will hope their mix of seam and spin can pose problems for the home side on what promises to be a challenging surface.
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