Crawley and Root Steady England After Duckett's Dismissal; Agha Salman Shines for Pakistan
In the first Test match, day two saw Pakistan amass a formidable total of 556 runs, while England responded with 96 for the loss of one wicket. Agha Salman played a pivotal role for the hosts, scoring a brilliant century as Pakistan's lower order added valuable runs.
For much of the first two days, England found themselves laboring in the field, enduring long hours of hard work with only fleeting moments of brilliance. Pakistan steadily built their score, a daunting task for many teams, though England has shown resilience, having won their last two matches despite conceding over 500 runs. The English side remained composed, continuously striving to make breakthroughs while minimizing errors.
However, the dynamics shifted dramatically in a matter of minutes. The turning point came with the dismissal of Shaheen Shah Afridi, Pakistan's ninth wicket, as they reached 549 runs. Shortly after, Salman Agha, who had just become the third centurion for his team, attempted a shot against Joe Root but missed, leading to a straightforward stumping opportunity that Jamie Smith inexplicably let slip through his fingers. In the following over, Abrar Ahmed top-edged a delivery to midwicket, where Gus Atkinson misjudged the catch, allowing the ball to fall harmlessly to the ground.
As the match progressed, England's batting lineup, led by Crawley and Root, began to rebuild after the early loss of Duckett, setting the stage for an intriguing contest ahead.