PAK vs ENG: Salman Agha joins Abdullah, Shan with a ton as Pakistan put up 556 in first innings

Pakistan were all out for 556 in their first innings on day two of the opening test against England on Tuesday.

At the end of play on the first Test's Day 2, England were at 96/1 trailing by 460 runs. Naseem Shah took Ollie Pope's wicket who scored a two-ball duck.

Shan Masood (151), Abdullah Shafique (102) and Salman Agha (104 not out) struck hundreds.

Jack Leach was the pick of the English bowlers claiming 3-160.

Saud Shakeel missed out on a hundred scoring 82 runs as Pakistan lost his and Aamer Jamal's wicket in the second session.

Shaheen Afridi scored 26 off 49 deliveries.

England were made to toil with little reward on Monday and it was more of the same when play resumed as Naseem Shah, a key cog in Pakistan's new-ball attack, proved he could contribute with the bat as well.

He scores a career best of 33 runs off 81 deliveries.

Day 1 summary

Shan Masood’s first hundred as Pakistan's Test captain set a strong foundation for the hosts at the start of their series against England.

Alongside Abdullah Shafique, who ended a poor run of form with his fifth Test century, Masood's dominant performance helped Pakistan reach 261 for 1 during the evening session.

The inexperienced England attack struggled under the high temperatures and relentless pressure in Multan, with Masood eventually falling for a brilliant 151 as the pair put together a near-chanceless double-century stand.

Despite facing challenges, England found a glimmer of hope when Gus Atkinson broke through for the first wicket. However, Babar Azam's late dismissal provided England with further satisfaction as they attempted to regroup after a challenging day.

Pakistan's success was particularly significant, as they had not won a home Test since 2021 and had suffered five consecutive defeats, including a 2-0 loss to Bangladesh.

The strong top-order partnership provided a much-needed boost for the team under Masood's captaincy.

The match showcased Masood's assertive batting style, achieving the second-fastest Test hundred by a Pakistan captain.

He quickly shifted gears against England's spin options and played with confidence, securing his first Test century in over four years. While initially troubled by the England bowlers, Shafique found his rhythm, doubling his boundaries as they pushed past the 200-run mark together.

Although England had a few moments of potential breakthroughs, including near-run-out chances and missed stumping opportunities, the pair remained largely untroubled.

England's tactics shifted as the match progressed, leading to two quick wickets after tea. Shafique reached his hundred with a straight six but fell shortly after for 101.

Despite a solid stand between Saud Shakeel and Babar Azam, the latter’s dismissal extended his run without a Test fifty since December 2022.

England’s initial hopes were raised after dismissing Saim Ayub early, but Pakistan’s decision to bat first proved beneficial as the pitch settled, allowing Masood and Shafique to flourish.