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

Simon Mann
BBC Test Match Special commentator on BBC Sounds

That is a fine stroke.

Shoaib Bashir is struggling to control the scoring rate.

50 for Abdullah Shafiquepublished at 24 overs

24 overs

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.

Soham Sarkhel
CricViz analyst

Image source, Reuters

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Aatif Nawaz
BBC Test Match Special commentator on BBC Sounds

That is the shot of the day, absolutely superb.

50 for Shan Masoodpublished at 21 overs

21 overs

And there is Shan Masood's fifty. He's got there in just 43 deliveries.

His shirt looks to be drenched with sweat as he waves his bat towards the dressing room.

The left-hander drives gloriously for four at the end of the over too. Top stuff from a captain who came into this match under pressure.

Steven Finn
Former England fast bowler on BBC Test Match Special

There are no demons in this pitch whatsoever. You can see why both captains wanted to bat first. There is no assistance for the bowlers.

Image source, Getty Images

• Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat in Multan
• England struck early as Gus Atkinson had Saim Ayub caught behind down the leg side
• The home side have looked in control since then on a flat pitch with Abdullah Shafique and Shan Masood's partnership extending beyond 50
• Skipper Masood, who did have to overturn an lbw dismissal to Brydon Carse on review, has raced to the brink of an 11th Test fifty

Shoaib Bashir will be relieved to get five balls in a row to Abdullah Shafique here. Pakistan's right-handed opener does not look quite as keen to attack the spin.

Soham Sarkhel
CricViz analyst

Since the start of 2023 in Tests, Shan Masood has been striking at 81 in the first 40 balls of his innings while averaging 46.5. He has faltered after getting set though, averaging just 14.7 in the next 40 balls of his innings.

Ever the team man, Ben Stokes is running drinks around the boundary edge as he sits out this match with injury.

A few people have been asking why the lbw law prevents dismissals that pitch outside leg stump. That's to discourage negative bowling.

It's thought if the rule wasn't there bowlers would bowl at the pads from round the wicket all day, which would be hard to hard to hit and score anywhere but the leg side.

Aatif Nawaz
BBC Test Match Special commentator on BBC Sounds

It already feels like it could be a very long day for England.

Alex Hartley
Former England bowler on BBC Test Match Special

Shan Masood has taken a liking to Bashir.

The England bowler has got to get him on the front foot because anything back of a length, even slightly, you know he is going to go back.

There were a couple of shots where you take encouragement as a bowler but there were a couple where Masood used his feet nicely.

Image source, Reuters

Shan Masood has clearly decided to his going to attack Shoaib Bashir.

First England's spinner drops too short and he is cracked over the leg side. Then, when he goes too full, Masood skips down and nails a drive in the air over extra cover.

Bashir stands with his hands on his head but the batter has won that battle.

Soham Sarkhel
CricViz analyst

There has only been 0.55 degrees of swing today, which is the fourth-lowest in the first session of day one for a Test in Pakistan since the start of 2021.

Three of the bottom four for swing movement are Tests involving England with the 2022 Test in Multan also being a part of it.

Ollie Pope is annoyed at himself. He jabbed the stumps with his fist after missing that chance.

Brydon Carse, meanwhile, slams the ball down at 90mph again but on this pitch Abdullah Shafique seems to still have time. Carse must surely be close to the end of his first spell now after five overs of hard work in the heat.