Vic Marks
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"Afridi likes a bit of melodrama - first ball! It skidded on, as it often does with Afridi - I think it probably would have hit legstump, and up go the arms for the usual celebration."

Ben Cain: Why isn't Root captain? surely as Test vice-captain it would make more sense for him to take the reins here?

James Hobbs: Red and yellow dancing girls at the cricket - they're not the twins from Pat Sharpe's Funhouse are they?!

Image source, Getty Images

Roy isn't just a piano mover. He can tickle the ivories too, following his meaty blow with a deft ramp for a single. England are making the most of the powerplay, miles better than yesterday's 19-3.

Vic Marks
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"It's a terrific shot, that. It was a skimmer. It didn't get very high, but it was out of the meat of the bat, and it just kept going." 

Eng 30-0published at 3.3 overs

3.3 overs

He's at it again! Jason Roy dances once more, walloping Riaz over cow for another maximum. A security guard, who was admonishing someone, almost gets sconned.

Mike Bell: I have a vision of a lanky languid moody Morrissey fielding at This not so Charming Third Man.

Jim: I think Tom Scopes will find that Brianlarastorm is actually by the Arctic MoeenKeys.

There's a long old delay before Wahab Riaz starts the fourth over. In the break, it seems like the whole ground is dancing. Cheerleaders in red, men draped in Pakistan flags, and a stuffed zebra.

Vic Marks
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"Man for man, I think England are more nimble in the field than Pakistan, and that can save you 5-10 runs in the field which can make a difference. Dear old Waqar Younis, the coach, was exasperated by that run-out yesterday."

Anwar, the man taken for that mighty blow, is hacked off, bumping Roy and following up with a few verbals. My Urdu isn't what it used to be, so I can't tell you what he said. I don't think it was an invite for dinner, mind. At the other end to Roy, the beanpole Alex Hales is doing lots of shovelling off his hips. 

Eng 18-0published at 2.2 overs

2.2 overs

Fetttccchhhh! This is big from Roy, massive in fact. A skip, a heave to the leg side, the ball travelling 90m or so over cow corner and into the hands of a decent fielder in the crowd.

Vic Marks
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"Jason Roy only plays one way - some days it works, some days it doesn't. You can't restrict a T20 opener, if you're not playing your shots you're not doing your job."

Good comeback from Tanvir, who finds some extra bounce to beat the tentative poke of Jason Roy. Noise in Dubai, cheering every dot, even cranking the volume when Roy takes on the arm of Anwar Ali to pinch a second run that shouldn't have been on.  

Left-armer Sohail Tanvir shares the new ball, bowling off the wrong foot with the action of a man trying to escape from a straitjacket. Hales takes him over mid-off for the first boundary.

Tom Scopes: Indie Cricket Disco: Brianlarastorm - Arctic Monkeys.

Just a slip in place for the military medium of Anwar, whose goatee beard is wonderfully well sculpted. In the crowd, someone has an inflatable alligator. That rates highly in the oddest things I've ever seen at a cricket ground. There's also a huge cuddly banana, but that's pretty standard. I mean, who would go to the cricket without a huge banana? Steady first over, four singles. 

Ebony Rainford-Brent
Ex-England batter on BBC Test Match Special

"The crowd gave Pakistan a lift towards the end of yesterday's game, getting behind every four."

Image source, Getty Images

Right then, the players are in the middle under lights and in front of a full house. Jason Roy scratches his guard, Alex Hales watches on. Anwar Ali has the ball.