Pak vs Eng: Spectacular Pindi Test shattering numerous records
On a memorable Test cricket day in Rawalpindi that saw the visitors amass 506 for four against Pakistan, England’s aggressive strategy reached new heights as four players smashed centuries.
England made the highest run total on day one of a Test as Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, and Harry Brook all scored three figures. This was despite the fact that several of their players were battling viral infections prior to their first five-day match in Pakistan since 2005.
Additionally, it was the first time a team’s first day of play included four batters scoring tonnes, with Crawley hitting the quickest of all England openers and Duckett and Brook recording their first Test centuries.
Crawley dispatched the first five balls for 14 runs to set the tone for the rest of the day and, alongside Duckett, put on 233 – the fastest double-century stand in Test history.
The 24-year-old only needed 86 balls to bring up his hundred, which came shortly after lunch, after England had piled up a record 174 in the opening session.
Duckett followed up with his maiden Test century from 108 balls on his recall to the side after a six-year absence.
The duo fell in successive overs, with Duckett trapped lbw by Zahid Mahmood for 107 and Crawley bowled through the gate by Haris Rauf the following over for 122. Former captain Joe Root failed to match those heights, out lbw to Mahmood for 23.
But despite the introduction of new batters, England showed no signs of slowing down with Pope and Brook at the crease.
Pope played some elegant strokes during a chanceless century, from 90 deliveries, before he also fell lbw, with Mohammad Ali taking his first Test wicket.
Brook briefly threatened to score the fastest-ever century by an Englishman in Test cricket with an entertaining knock, including a memorable over where he struck Saud Shakeel for six successive fours in an over.
Pak vs Eng: Spectacular Pindi Test shattering numerous records
But the Yorkshireman had to settle for an 80-ball ton, the third fastest for his country, and finished the day unbeaten on 101 alongside captain Ben Stokes.
Stokes enjoyed the final few overs of the day, hitting 34 off 15 balls at a strike rate of 226 to cap off an outstanding batting performance from England.
Pakistan mounted a spirited reply to England’s mammoth first innings total of 657 on Friday as the opening test between the sides turned into a veritable run-fest on a lifeless track in Rawalpindi.
After nearly five sessions in the field, Pakistan displayed their stomach for a fight to finish day two on 181 for no loss, still 476 runs behind, in what has become a batting contest with more than 800 runs scored across the two days.
After four English batters smashed hundreds on Thursday, Imam-ul-Haq (90) and Abdullah Shafique (89) were closing in on their centuries when bad light stopped play.
England, on their first test tour of Pakistan since 2005, are also scheduled to play in Multan and Karachi.
