Masood, Shafique lead Pakistan on top
A dominant display of batting, anchored by century from Shan Masood and half-century Abdullah Shafique, propelled Pakistan to 233 for 1 by Tea on the opening day in Multan. Early assistance for the pacers created some challenges, but apart from the dismissal of Saim Ayub, England's bowlers couldn't make further inroads during the morning and second sessions.
Pakistan, opting to bat first, lost Ayub in the fourth over when he was caught down the leg side off Gus Atkinson’s bowling. The batters faced early struggles as they were beaten frequently, hit on the pads, and edged deliveries. However, once the initial movement eased, Shafique began to find his rhythm, threading the ball through gaps with precision.
Masood, meanwhile, took his time to settle in. He survived a close lbw call against Brydon Carse, successfully overturning the decision via review. While still playing a few streaky shots, he shifted gears after the drinks break when spin was introduced. Masood launched a counterattack against offspinner Shoaib Bashir, striking a series of boundaries to bring up his half-century in just 43 balls — his fastest in Test cricket. Shan Masood's blistering century off just 102 balls is the fastest by a Pakistan batter since Misbah-ul-Haq's iconic 56-ball hundred against Australia in Abu Dhabi in 2014. This innings also ranks as the second-fastest century by a Pakistan captain, following Misbah's record-breaking knock. Masood’s rapid hundred underlines his aggressive approach and leadership, putting him in elite company in Pakistan's cricketing history.
Shafique, initially more measured, soon followed Masood’s aggressive approach. In the penultimate over before lunch, he took on Bashir, first stepping down the track to drive, then cutting deliveries to the boundary, and capping off the over by lofting the spinner for a six over long-on to reach his half-century.
Pakistan, now well-settled, headed into the tea break with strong momentum after a solid recovery from their early loss.