Captain Shan Masood and Abdullah Shafique hit centuries as Pakistan dominated the opening day of the first Test against a new-look England pace attackon Monday.
Masood, who compiled his first Test ton in four years, smashed 151 off 177 balls while Shafique made a fluent 102 to help the home team reach 328/4 at stumps.
England took three wickets in the final session, after Masood and Shafique had shared a huge stand of 253 for the second wicket as thevisitors toiled in the searing heat of Multan.
Saud Shakeel was unbeaten on 35 and nightwatchman Naseem Shah yet to score at the close of play.
England’s final-session fightback was “a hell of an effort” which owed to their “high-end toil”, according to Jeetan Patel, one of their assistant coaches.
“I couldn’t commend them any more,” Patel said. “I think the toil they put in today (Monday) was high-end... the way they tried different things to take wickets, the different fields they had, the way they fielded. To take those three wickets tonight was testament to the work they’d done in the first two sessions. We’re pretty happy with how it’s ended up, with them four down.”
Fast bowler Gus Atkinson, playing his first overseas Test, claimed 2/70 while Jack Leach, returning after a spell out of the team, picked up 1/61 on a wicket which had a tinge of grass but gave little assistance to pace or spin.
Chris Woakes trapped Babar Azam leg before for 30 with the second new ball in the penultimate over of the day. Pakistan’s former captain hasn’t scored a half-century in his last 17 innings.
Masood, who hit 13 fours and two sixes, and Shafique got on top of off-spinner Shoaib Bashir, who was wicket-less in his 18 overs and conceded 71 runs.
Debutant Brydon Carse twice came close to a wicket. Masood successfully overturned on-field umpire Kumar Dharmasena’s lbw decision through a TV referral early in his knock, while stand-in skipper Ollie Pope couldn’t hold onto a low catch at short cover off the same batter.
Shafique also survived a run-out chance when Pope’s under-arm throw from close range missed the stumps at the non-striker’s end, with the batter well short of his crease in the first session.
Atkinson enjoyed early success when he had Saim Ayub (4) caught by keeper Jamie Smith down the leg side in his second over.
England then had to wait until the final session when Shafique, struggling with cramp soon after reaching his hundred with a six over long-on, offered a tame catch in the covers and fell after hitting 10 fours and two sixes.
Masood also struggled with cramps and followed Shafique when Leach grabbed a low return catch.
Masood, whose last Test century came against England in Manchester in 2020, had been under the microscope after losing five successive Tests since he was appointed captain last year.
Pakistan’s top-order was also criticised after losing the home series to Bangladesh 2-0, during which Shafique scored 42 runs in four innings.
Masood used his feet well against Bashir and pierced the gaps on the off side with precision against the pace bowlers as he reached his century after lunch off 102 balls.
Both teams picked three fast bowlers and two spinners, with Pakistan including pacers Aamer Jamal, returning from a back injury, Naseem and Shaheen Shah Afridi, along with slow bowlers Abrar Ahmed and Salman Ali Agha.
England captain Ben Stokes missed the opener because of a hamstring injury, but he presented a maiden Test cap to Durham teammate Carse, who bowled consistently at 140mph early in his spell.
