In the second Test match, day one, Pakistan’s score stood at 259-5 led by Kamran Ghulam’s impressive 118 score, Saim Ayub’s 77 and Mohammad Rizwan’s unbeaten 37 figures. England’s J Leach managed 2-92. Pakistan’s team selection, which had beforehand intensified scepticism more than expectations, proved to be more ingenious than reckless as Kamran Ghulam, making his debut, exceeded expectations.
Ghulam had a dream start to his Test cricket journey, notwithstanding his team’s precarious position at 19 for two when he arrived at the crease. His patient and steady approach to his batting was spectacular and he was only dismissed towards the last minutes of play after scoring 118, assisting Pakistan in closing the opening day on 259 runs for 5 wickets.
29-year-old Ghulam was chosen following his remarkable performance in domestic first-class cricket the preceding winter and a string of excellent performances during the recent President’s Cup one-day series, alongside the dip in Babar Azam’s form. As he geared up to bat in the test match, he had huge expectations to meet. Despite the tension, signs of nerves were absent as Ghulam demonstrated systematic defences; his first four runs were singles from 15 balls. The 16th ball was sent rolling for a six down the ground.
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While his decision to prioritize caution over audacity during his innings was exceptional, his patience on the field, evident through the draw of 224 balls, proved to be the more critical attribute. Though he faltered twice due to self-induced pressure, his combat against England’s strategy was more challenged by a bothersome cramp on his left arm. His missteps were his eager charges at Jack Leach and Shoaib Bashir, resulting in a misjudgment and an instantly regrettable decision.
Teamed with Saim Ayub, Kamran added 149 to the score for the third wicket. Their alliance was a stabilising force for Pakistan following initial stumbles. The performance yet again highlighted an ongoing trend where one opening batsman fails and the other triumphs. This was personified by Saim’s limited contribution of four runs and Abdullah Shafique’s magnificent century during the first opening test innings, with roles reversing in the next round, seeing Shafique settle for a meagre seven runs while Saim managed a solid 77.
Shan Masood didn’t perform well with the bat but played a significant role otherwise. The start of the day reveals a tense moment for him, captaining Pakistan, where a crucial toss could determine his career’s fate. It was evident that the team’s tactic was to harness the optimum batting conditions at the beginning of the match, transitioning to exploiting spin-bowling conditions towards the conclusion. As the coin launched high, one couldn’t help but sense his desperation to secure first batting rights on a benign pitch against England’s mix of part-time spinner, reserve spinners, and a lone third-option seamer. Fortunately, as with the previous week, the toss was in his favour, and this time it was crucial to utilise this break effectively.
In the latest Test match on the same pitch as the previous week’s encounter, England controversially opted to begin with five rounds of seam before moving onto spin. This decision soon proved advantageous, as Leach emerged as the first English spinner to secure two early wickets in the Test’s first 10 overs, a feat not achieved since 1889. Interestingly, the fast bowlers also found their rhythm on the pitch. Ben Stokes took to the pitch mid-afternoon, enticing England’s seamers who smelt potential for reverse swing and pursued it with palpable enthusiasm, echoing the vigorous vigour of the “Bisto Kids,” but draped in their monochrome sports attire.
On this chosen pitch—specifically conditioned to favour spinners—England played 15 continuous overs of seam, managing to clinch two wickets while conceding a mere 40 runs. This feat was accomplished amid an ominous set-up of six fielders positioned in a sweeping parabolic arc around the batsman, despite wide unoccupied stretches of grass behind them. This tactical arrangement allowed the English side to reclaim their competitive footing after a drawn-out stretch of slow yet steady run accumulation by the batsmen.
Stokes’s five-over stretch paved the way for Matt Potts and Brydon Carse to take the wickets. It was Saim, who foolishly gifted his wicket to England just before the tea break, getting caught by Stokes in the deceptively omnipresent fielding umbrella. Post-interval, Carse subtly swayed one ball to grazed Saud Shakheel’s edge.
The ensuing events saw Mohammad Rizwan take the crease for a rather peculiar and visually displeasing innings at the start. Barring a single stylish sweep off Leach, Rizwan, 32, seemed rather confused during his initial 50 balls in his 34th Test match, holding an average of 42.66, providing little convincing evidence of his mastery over wielding the cricket bat.
Regardless of the pitch’s inconsistent behaviour, the day’s major conundrum was Rizwan’s survival against all odds, despite his unimpressive start. Having taken 20 balls to score his first run, Rizwan then casually sent his 22nd ball through to Smith—an occurrence only the bowler managed to detect.
Despite Potts’ attempts at rallying support for a reassessment, his efforts were barely acknowledged. Stokes’ disapproval was evident not just at that instant but also subsequently, when it was shown on the large display that the reassessment would have been favourable. Despite all odds, Rizwan somehow managed to conclude stumps with an impressive 37 off 89. Though Pakistan’s strategy for this match may have been conceived amidst chaos, it is yet to instigate any. – Guardian