Summary

  • Pakistan rack up 328-4 after winning toss

  • England battle hard on flat pitch, with Gus Atkinson taking two wickets, including centurion Abdullah Shafique

  • Jack Leach removes Shan Masood (151) on return to side

  • Chris Woakes pins Babar Azam lbw with second new ball to give England renewed hope

  • First Test, day one, Multan

Live Reporting

Sam Drury

  1. How's stat?!

    Soham Sarkhel
    CricViz analyst

    England have attempted 14 bouncers in the morning session, out of which eight have been left alone by the Pakistan batters and only one false shot coming off them.

  2. For Pakistan, things could not have gone much better.

    Captain Shan Masood was under a bit of pressure coming into this match but has batted superbly, taking the attack to the England bowlers, particularly off-spinner Shoaib Bashir.

    He is unbeaten on 61 from 59 balls and his stand with Abdullah Shafique, who is 53 not out, is now worth 114.

    Pakistan captain Shan Masood bats against England in MultanGetty Images

  3. Pakistan have been largely untroubled since then, though.

    The closest England came to a second wicket came when debutant Brydon Carse hit Shan Masood on the pads with a very full delivery.

    It was given out on the field but the Pakistan skipper reviewed, the ball was shown to have pitched outside leg and Carse was stripped of his maiden Test wicket.

    Brydon Carse walks away after reviews denies him a maiden Test wicketGetty Images

  4. Having been asked to bowl, England did manage to pick up a wicket early on.

    Gus Atkinson, in his first overseas Test, struck in the fourth over. A strangle down leg doing for Saim Ayub.

    Gus Atkinson celebrates wicket for England in PakistanGetty Images

  5. Steven Finn
    Former England fast bowler on BBC Test Match Special

    Pakistan have done everything right. It has been all Pakistan since the early wicket. They have asserted pressure at the right times and done that intelligently and not recklessly.

    They have set up the possibility of England wilting in the afternoon sun.

  6. Thanks, Matt.

    England did get the boost of an early wicket when Gus Atkinson had Saim Ayub caught behind down the leg side.

    But since then, it has been obvious to see why both captains were so keen to bat first.

    Abdullah Shafique and Shan Masood have both passed 50, Pakistan are scoring at a fraction under five an over and the pitch looks flat.

  7. Satisfactory indeed.

    Sam Drury will give you a quick recap, take you through lunch and then afternoon session.

    Enjoy.

  8. Simon Mann
    BBC Test Match Special commentator on BBC Sounds

    That is a very satisfactory first session for Pakistan.

  9. Lunch - Pak 122-1

    Shafique 52, Masood 61

    No joy for Leach and that is indeed lunch.

    It has undoubtedly been Pakistan's session after the early wicket for Gus Atkinson. Abdullah Shafique and Shan Masood have made the most of a flat pitch and England's inexperienced bowling attack.

  10. Jack Leach is on for his first over. It will probably be the last of the session.

  11. Steven Finn
    Former England fast bowler on BBC Test Match Special

    I suspect Pakistan have discussed how consistent that Shoaib Bashir can be with his length. He doesn't bowl many bad balls and Pakistan won't want to let him settle on a line and length so that will be why they are using their feet.

  12. How's stat?!

    Andy Zaltzman
    Statistician on Test Match Special

    That is the century partnership in 19.3 overs.

  13. England will probably be happy lunch is coming in a couple of minutes.

  14. Simon Mann
    BBC Test Match Special commentator on BBC Sounds

    That is a fine stroke.

    Shoaib Bashir is struggling to control the scoring rate.

  15. 6 runs

    50 for Abdullah Shafique

    Abdullah Shafique joins the attack of England spinner Shoaib Bashir!

    From nowhere, two fours and a powerful six take the Pakistan opener to fifty from 77 balls. He's been patient so far but that was aggressive batting at its best.

  16. How's stat?!

    Soham Sarkhel
    CricViz analyst

    England's Ollie Pope throws the ballReuters

    In the first hour, 45% of England's deliveries were either wide of the off stump or down the leg side with only 16% on the stump line.

    For comparison, during England's last Test series in Pakistan in 2022, their pacers bowled 30% of their deliveries on the stump line and it brought them great success, going at just 1.73 runs per over while averaging 17.7 on that particular line.

  17. Pak 105-1

    Gus Atkinson doesn't look thrilled in his latest over but, in fairness, he rarely does. England haven't done a lot wrong. The bowling may have been a touch wayward but this is a very flat pitch and this attack is having to learn on the job.

  18. Steven Finn
    Former England fast bowler on BBC Test Match Special

    When I saw the pitch this morning it just looked like freshly laid carpet in a living room. When you see that as a bowler you just expect it to skip on nicely and that is how it has played.

  19. Pak 99-1

    An exasperated Shoaib Bashir bends over halfway down the pitch after one delivery, attempting to create some sort of theatre but there's very little there for him. If a wicket is going to come you'd think it would have to be from a mistake.

    The batters are taking an impromptu drinks break.

  20. How's stat?!

    Andy Zaltzman
    Statistician on Test Match Special

    This is Shan Masood's 15th 50-plus score in Tests and he's got four centuries. The last century was in England during the Covid tour. Since then he's averaged just over 20 in 14 Tests.