England Battles Back After Duckett Injury in Multan Test

Zak Crawley (right) is making his first appearance for England since breaking his finger in July.

England faced a formidable challenge in reply to Pakistan’s hefty total of 556 on day two of the first Test in Multan, finishing the day at 96-1. Ben Duckett injured his left thumb while taking the catch that ended Pakistan’s innings, forcing Ollie Pope to step in as an opener. Unfortunately for England, Pope’s debut opening ended abruptly when Aamer Jamal pulled off a stunning one-handed catch off his second ball.

Despite this setback, Zak Crawley (64) and Joe Root (32) showed resilience against a lively Pakistan attack, although England remained 460 runs behind. The day also highlighted Pakistan’s strength with Salman Ali Agha becoming the third player to score a century. England’s bowling was put to the test over six sessions in the heat where they managed to take four wickets for 76 runs despite Saud Shakeel’s solid 82.

England’s fielding fell short at critical moments, exemplified by a missed catch from Chris Woakes that the TV umpire ruled not out leading to frustration among the English players. The batting pressure mounted as England missed several chances to dismiss Pakistan earlier. Pope serving as stand-in captain, found himself under pressure as England struggled to maintain their composure.

Duckett’s injury left England with limited options and with the pitch showing signs of turn and low bounce, they faced a daunting task. Pakistan’s innings capitalized on this with Shakeel and Naseem Shah’s partnership proving challenging for England’s fatigued bowlers. Looking ahead, England’s bowlers are feeling the strain, but there are signs of optimism as they prepare to regroup for their next batting innings.

The match has been a tough test but moments of brilliance and tenacity from players like Crawley and Root provide hope for a strong comeback.