Masood, Shafique fifties lay platform for Pakistan

Shan Masood drives down the ground • Getty Images

Multan, October 7:

Lunch Pakistan 121 for 1 (Masood 61*, Shafique 53*) England

Pakistan made a confident start to the first Test against England in Multan, Shan Masood's 43-ball fifty setting the tone after he had chosen to bat. The captain was joined in an unbroken century stand by Abdullah Shafique, who brought up his own half-century with a six shortly before lunch. On a hot morning, with temperatures expected to touch 40C, England's inexperienced attack were faced with a steep learning curve.

Although England struck early, Saim Ayub caught behind off Gus Atkinson with the score on 8, that was their only success of the session. Ollie Pope, again standing in for Ben Stokes as he continues his rehabilitation from a hamstring injury, shuffled his options to little avail; the closest England came to separating the pair was when Pope missed the stumps at the non-striker's end after Shafique chanced a non-existent run to mid-on.

Pakistan came into the match having not won a Test at home since 2021, and on a run of five consecutive defeats since Masood took on the captaincy late last year, but were buoyed by timely contributions from two of the top three after winning the toss.

Masood's decision to bat (Pope said he would have done the same) was soon backed up, despite the tinge of green to the surface and the early loss of Ayub. There was little movement on offer for England's opening pair of Chris Woakes - playing his first overseas Test since March 2022 - and Atkinson, and it was something of a surprise when Ayub gloved an innocuous-looking short ball to the keeper in the fourth over.

The dismissal extended Shafique and Ayub's miserable run as an opening pair, failing to reach double-figures for the seventh time in a row. Atkinson, having enjoyed a sparkling debut during England's home summer, had a wicket with his 10th ball on tour.

But while Woakes kept things tight, giving Shafique a few anxious moments with deliveries that did enough to beat both edges of the bat, the second-wicket pair soon settled. Atkinson was driven down the ground by Shafique, who then opened the face to steer Woakes wide of the slips, while the extra pace of Carse brought scoring opportunities as well as the potential for peril.

That much was in evidence in Carse's second over, as Masood edged crookedly through backward point for his first boundary and then was given out playing around a full, fast one - only for DRS to prove that it had pitched outside leg.

Pakistan were 56 for 1 at drinks, consolidating nicely after the early loss, and the introduction of spin in the form of Shoaib Bashir saw Masood go up a gear. After being hit on the pad by one that didn't turn, Masood responded by hitting four of Bashir's next eight balls to the boundary, the pick a skip down the track and launch through cover to take him to 45 from 41.

Shafique, having survived Pope's underarm at one stump on 34, then followed his captain's lead by taking on Bashir's offspin. A charge down the pitch to clear mid-on brought up the century stand, followed later in the over by a cut for four and six launched over long-on, taking Shafique to a 77-ball fifty - his first in eight Test innings.

Both teams had named their XIs in advance. Pakistan recalled Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah, after both were left out of the second Test against Bangladesh, while allrounder Aamer Jamal was fit to return after injury. Abrar Ahmed, who debuted to prolific effect against England two years ago, shoulders spin duties with Salman Ali Agha also able to chip in.

England opted for a cautious approach to Stokes' fitness, eight weeks after he tore a hamstring playing in the Hundred, leaving Woakes to lead an inexperienced seam attack, with Carse on debut and Atkinson playing only his seventh Test. Jack Leach, meanwhile, returned for a first outing since being injured on the tour of India last winter, after which he lost the No. 1 spinner's berth to Somerset team-mate Bashir.