PAK VS ENG Test series: England reach 112-2 at stumps, trail Pakistan by 59 runs

WEB DESK: England reached 112 for two at stumps on the opening day of the first Test against Pakistan at Headingley, trailing the visitors by 59 runs.

England lost Ben Duckett for 15 before Emilio Gay was dismissed for 33, but Jordan Cox and Joe Root steadied the innings with an unbeaten partnership.

Cox was not out on 23 off 38 balls, while Root remained unbeaten on 37 off 53 deliveries, including six fours.

Earlier, Pakistan were bowled out for 171 in their first innings, allowing England to build a first-innings lead.

At the close of play, England had reached 112 for two in 25 overs, with Cox and Root at the crease.

England’s fast bowlers Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue produced devastating spells on the opening day of the Headingley Test, dismissing Pakistan for just 171 runs.

Both bowlers claimed five wickets each, while Abdullah Shafique was Pakistan’s top scorer.

Pakistan got off to a disastrous start on a rain-affected opening day, with Robinson striking with the very first ball of the match. England reduced Pakistan to 6-2 inside the opening half hour.

Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq then steadied the innings with a 91-run partnership for the third wicket. Shafique brought up his half-century off 104 balls but was eventually bowled by Robinson after scoring 61.

Imam-ul-Haq also departed after the 91-run stand, edging a delivery from Tongue to the slips. Pakistan’s middle order then failed to offer much resistance.

Saud Shakeel was given out LBW but failed to review the decision within the allotted time. Ball-tracking later showed that the delivery would have hit the stumps, meaning a review could have overturned the decision.

Robinson struck again to claim his fourth wicket, while Tongue bowled captain Salman Ali Agha before trapping Ali Usman LBW off the very next delivery to claim two wickets in two balls.

Pakistan reached 150-7 by the tea break, with Mohammad Rizwan unbeaten on 11.

Pakistan’s troubles continued after the interval as Tongue trapped Rizwan LBW. Rizwan immediately reviewed the decision, but the on-field call stood after ball-tracking returned an umpire’s call.

Imam-ul-Haq scored 42 off 74 balls, including six boundaries. Captain Salman Ali Agha made 21 off 29 balls, while Rizwan scored 12. Khurram Shahzad provided a brief burst with a quickfire 14 off 12 deliveries.

Play was interrupted for nearly two hours due to rain, but once the action resumed, England’s seamers made the most of the favourable conditions and tore through Pakistan’s batting line-up.

Pakistan’s low first-innings total has put England in a strong position on the opening day, with the visitors’ bowlers now tasked with restricting the English batting and keeping Pakistan in the contest.