'Multan pitch is like living room carpet': Ashton Turner's take on Test match conditions

Former English cricketer Fung shared his thoughts on pitch conditions in Multan Test between Pakistan and England.

Former English cricketer Ashton Fung has voiced his disappointment over the pitch conditions at the Multan Test match between Pakistan and England.

Taking to social media, Fung expressed his concerns, stating, "This pitch looks like a living room carpet; it’s not pleasant to watch."

However, captain Shan Masood and Abdullah Shafique later formed a strong partnership, amassing over 250 runs for the second wicket.

Both batsmen scored centuries, pushing the team’s total beyond 300 on the first day.

Shan Masood’s first hundred as Pakistan's Test captain set a strong tone for the hosts in their series opener against England.

Abdullah Shafique joined him, breaking a string of poor form with his fifth Test century as England's inexperienced attack struggled under the scorching Multan sun.

The touring side found themselves in a tough spot, with Masood and Shafique constructing a nearly flawless double-century partnership that took Pakistan to 261 for 1 in the evening session.

However, Gus Atkinson broke through, and Jack Leach dismissed Masood for a brilliant 151. England's late capture of Babar Azam allowed them to exit the day feeling a bit better about their efforts.

Yet, there was no denying it was Pakistan's day. Without a home Test win since 2021 and on a five-match losing streak—including a 2-0 series loss to Bangladesh—Masood’s squad was revitalized by a dominant top-order performance.

In favorable conditions, England’s attack, led by 35-year-old Chris Woakes and featuring debutant Brydon Carse along with two other bowlers with no prior experience in Pakistan, faced a steep learning curve.

The day's highlight was Pakistan's second-wicket partnership, which yielded 253 runs.

Arriving with expectations of challenging pitches and a fragile home batting lineup, Masood’s aggressive innings silenced England—the second-fastest Test hundred by a Pakistan captain—and Shafique’s resolute batting after the early dismissal of Saim Ayub in the fourth over.

That was England’s only success for more than two sessions as Ollie Pope, filling in for the injured Ben Stokes, cycled through six bowlers while the temperature soared into the high 30s Celsius.

Masood successfully overturned an lbw decision against Carse at 16, who clocked 90 mph in his first Test spell but faded in the heat.

A cut shot off Carse fell just short of Ollie Pope at point when Masood reached 133, and other than that, it was a showcase of crisp stroke play