Pakistan’s Spinners Spark England Collapse in Multan

Pakistan’s spinners dismantled England’s middle order on the second day of the second Test in Multan dramatically shifting the momentum. England initially cruising at 211-2 thanks to Ben Duckett’s explosive 114 faced a sudden collapse. Off-spinner Sajid Khan sparked a revival, taking key wickets by dismissing Joe Root inducing an edge from Duckett and bowling Harry Brook with a brilliant delivery.

Ben Stokes’s dismissal at short leg marked the fall of four wickets for just 14 runs in 18 deliveries leaving England reeling at 239-6, 127 runs behind. Earlier, England seemed to be in control after Jack Leach and Brydon Carse wrapped up Pakistan’s first innings just after lunch, dismissing them for 366. However, the turn of the pitch quickly changed the game’s dynamics.

Duckett had been aggressive, making the most of the spin, but once he fell, the chaos ensued. England’s dream of a first-innings advantage vanished as they struggled to adapt, raising concerns about their ability to even level the scores. In response to Pakistan’s total, Duckett had made run-scoring look easy showcasing his sweep shots and reverse sweeps reaching his century off just 120 balls.

His partnership with Root appeared to be solid until Root’s unfortunate dismissal triggered the collapse. Carse continued to impress, taking crucial wickets and demonstrating his skills which had been evident since his Test debut. Duckett expressed contentment with his performance but acknowledged the importance of starting strong in the next session to put pressure back on Pakistan.

As the match progresses, England must remain focused to avoid further setbacks and maintain competitiveness in the Test series.