Jack Leach took a pair of early wickets for England before Pakistan rallied to 79 for two on the first morning of the second Test in Multan.
The home side’s decision to re-use the same worn pitch that hosted the series opener generated intrigue in the build-up and Leach’s removal of Abdullah Shafique and Shan Masood in his first three overs appeared to ring alarm bells.
But initial signs of unpredictable bounce failed to turn into anything more concerning as Saim Ayub (40 not out) and debutant Kamran Ghulam (29no) reached the lunch break relatively securely.
After losing the toss England opened up with Durham seamers Matthew Potts and Brydon Carse, who shared five tidy overs with the new ball before giving way to the spinners.
One delivery from Potts kept low enough to leave the bowler grinning, while Ben Stokes was overheard on the stump microphone saying, “it’s started already boys”.
Spinning Wicket
Pakistan made it clear on the eve of the match they had ordered a turning track, loading their side with as many as seven slow bowlers, and the evidence was quick to appear.
Leach beat the bat twice before striking with his ninth ball, snaking one past Shafique’s outside edge and knocking over off stump.
Home captain Masood was spared a golden duck when Leach went up for lbw but was soon gone for three, excellently caught low down by Zak Crawley after flicking around his front pad.
The chances of implosion spiked when Leach got one to spit off a good length at Ayub, who was lucky to see the ball spray wide of short leg, but gradually the threat cooled off.
Ayub began rotating the strike and Ghulam settled any first day nerves by slamming Leach for six over long-on.
Stokes searched for another breakthrough by having the spinners swap ends, as well as handing two overs to Joe Root, but they struggled to find the perfect length as the Pakistan pair negotiated a stand of 60 before the break.
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