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The first Test between Pakistan and England was in the news for all the wrong reasons owing to Multan's batting-friendly pitch on Day 1 (Monday, October 7). The hosts enjoyed a promising day with the bat after skipper Shan Masood won the toss and chose to bat first.
At stumps on Day 1, Pakistan were well-placed at 328/4 after 86 overs, with Saud Shakeel and nightwatchman Naseem Shah at the crease. Babar Azam (30 off 71) was the last batter to be dismissed by Chris Woakes. Gus Atkinson emerged as the leading wicket-taker for England, picking up two wickets.
Skipper Masood starred with the bat, scoring 151 runs off 177 balls, a knock laced with two sixes and 13 boundaries. Abdullah Shafique also chipped in with 102 off 184 deliveries with the help of two maximums and 10 boundaries. The duo put on a 253-run stand for the second wicket after the hosts lost Saim Ayub early to put the Men in Green in the driving seat.
Fans on X criticized the pitch used for the opening Test. One user wrote:
"Nitin Gadkari to consult Pakistani pitch curators to make better highways in India. He is highly impressed with the quality of Multan pitch."
Another user wrote:
"Looks like Nitin Gadkari is the curator of this Multan pitch."
A third user added:
"Highways and Multan pitch same."
Here are a few more reactions:
Michael Vaughan and Kevin Pietersen slam Multan pitch for PAK vs ENG 1st Test
Former England captain Michael Vaughan and erstwhile cricketer Kevin Pietersen slammed the pitch used for the opening Test on social media during Day 1.
Vaughan wrote on X:
"Looks like a road in Multan .. Great toss to have won .. also nice to see @shani_official batting in what looks like Padel shoes ..#PAKvsENG"
Pietersen wrote on the micro-blogging site:
"That wicket in Multan - bowlers GRAVEYARD!"
The two teams last played at the venue during the 2022-2023 Test series, where England won by 26 runs inside four days.
Follow the PAK vs ENG 1st Test live score and updates here.
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