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Pakistan captain Azhar Ali led from the front by scoring a defiant 141 but England still enforced the follow on at Southampton on Sunday. Continue reading “England vs Pakistan Third Test Day 3 Match Report 2020”

Zak Crawley scored a magnificent double hundred and Jos Buttler made a classy hundred, before James Anderson put Pakistan on the backfoot with late strikes, as the tourists were reduced to 24/3 at the end of Day 2 of the final test at Southampton on Saturday. Continue reading “England vs Pakistan Third Test Day 2 Match Report 2020”

Zak Crawley brought up his maiden Test hundred to put England in a commanding position on the opening day of the third test against Pakistan at Southampton on Friday. Continue reading “England vs Pakistan Third Test Day 1 Match Report 2020”

Wicket keeper Mohammad Rizwan kept England at bay by scoring an unbeaten 60 as Pakistan ended Day 2 at 223/9 before bad light led to an early close in Southampton on Friday.

After a delayed start, Pakistan saw off the first hour in testing overcast conditions without losing a wicket and reached 155/5 at lunch. Continue reading “England vs Pakistan Second Test Day 2 Match Report-2020”

Abid Ali made a solid 60 but England claimed three wickets late in the evening as Pakistan were restricted to 126 for five at the close of a rain hit opening day of the second test at the Rose Bowl on Thursday.

The hosts made 2 changes with Zak Crawley coming in for Ben Stokes and Sam Curran replacing Jofra Archer, while Pakistan dropped all-rounder Shadab Khan and included Fawad Alam to strengthen their batting.

Azhar Ali opted to bat first after winning the toss, but the visitors suffered an early blow when James Anderson trapped Manchester centurion Shan Masood LBW for just one.

Abid was also on 1 when he got a reprieve, with Dom Sibley dropping an edge off Stuart Broad at third slip. The 32 year old added 72 runs for the second wicket stand along with skipper Azhar before the latter edged an Anderson delivery to Rory Burns.

Six overs later, left arm seamer Sam Curran finally removed the well-set Abid, caught by Burns for a well made 60. The opener’s dismissal triggered a mini collapse of sorts- Asad Shafiq fell for just five to Broad, while Fawad Alam was trapped LBW for a four ball duck by all-rounder Chris Woakes.

Alam, who was making a comeback to the test setup after a gap of 11 long years, was initially given not out but England took the review and got the decision in their favour.

Pakistan ended day 1 at 126/5- only 45.4 overs were bowled owing to the poor weather, with Babar Azam (25)* and Mohammad Rizwan (4)* unbeaten at the crease.

Anderson was England’s best bowler as he ended up with figures of 2/35, while Broad, Curran and Woakes picked up a wicket each.

In a fantastic advertisement for the longest format of the game, hosts England completed a thrilling three-wicket win over Pakistan at Old Trafford. After dominating the first two days, the visitors seemed set to claim only a rare test win at the venue, but a third innings collapse and a fine partnership against the odds from Jos Buttler and Chris Woakes saw Chris Silverwood’s men claim an unlikely victory.

Here are our talking points from the game.

Pakistan’s first defeat in 20 years while defending 250+: Pakistan have never lost in the last two decades while defending a 250+ total in the last innings of a test match. They had England on the ropes at 117/5, but incredibly, still ended up losing the game. Winviz had Pakistan as high as 84% at one stage of the game, and this will be a tough defeat to stomach. Perhaps not as much as the likes of Sydney, Hobart and Galle, but it will definitely hurt. Not to mention the fact they had also the luxury of a 100+ lead in the first innings.

No bouncers to Chris Woakes: Neither Buttler nor Woakes had been in great form coming into this game, and the latter had even been hit on the helmet by a nasty Naseem Shah bouncer in the first innings.

Bizarrely though, Pakistan didn’t employ the short ball strategy when Woakes first arrived in the middle during the chase and was potentially vulnerable to it. For a brief while later, Naseem tried it after Woakes had already had time to get acclimatised, and even succeeded in getting an edge that just evaded Yasir Shah. Woakes seemed a little wary of Naseem, showing a more open stance to the latter in comparison to the one he employed against the rest.

Some of Pakistan’s tactics in the fourth innings were questionable- this was a game they should’ve won nine times out of ten.

A rare win in the opening test for England: England have been slow starters in recent times, having lost the first test of their last five series. Add to this Pakistan’s formidable first innings lead, and everyone thought it was the visitors’ game to lose. However some fine batting from Chris Woakes and Jos Buttler saw them snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, and England fans would’ve been even happier given they did it without much of a contribution from Ben Stokes and Joe Root- their two biggest players.

Masood’s century goes in vain: Shan Masood’s century was perhaps one of the finest by an overseas opener in English conditions in recent history. It deserved, and should’ve got a win for his team, but it wasn’t to be, and this game will now be remembered for Buttler and Woakes’ stunning rearguard action in the fourth innings.

Off to Southampton: Pakistan have never played a test at the Rose Bowl, and England’s last one there, against the West Indies, ended in defeat. How will Misbah’s men fare in their maiden test on the South Coast?

Jos Buttler and Chris Woakes scored attacking half-centuries, as England defeated Pakistan by three wickets in a thrilling first test to take 1-0 lead in the three match series at Manchester on Saturday. Continue reading “England vs Pakistan First Test Day 4 Match Report”

Ben Stokes claimed two late wickets as England clawed their way back into the first test at Old Trafford by reducing Pakistan to 137/8 in their second innings at stumps on Day 3.

The hosts, resuming at 92/4, started steadily as the overnight pair of Ollie Pope and Jos Buttler added 35 runs, before Pope, having scored a composed half century, was caught at gully by Shadab Khan off Naseem Shah for 62.

Buttler, having missed three chances behind the stumps, was under pressure and scrapped his way through a scratchy 38, before falling to Yasir Shah in his second delivery after lunch.

Dom Bess made just a single before he was caught at slip by a leaping Asad Shafiq off Yasir.

England were reeling at 170-8 but Stuart Broad added 49 invaluable runs in the company of Jofra Archer and James Anderson. They were being bowled out for 219, giving visitors a huge lead of 107 runs.

Pakistan’s second innings started disastrously as first innings centurion Shan Masood was caught down the leg side by Buttler off Broad for a duck.

Abid Ali, who was given a life by Stokes, failed to make it count, as he was caught at deep mid wicket by Woakes off Bess for 20.

Woakes continued to trouble the opposition batsmen, first bagging the prize scalp of Babar Azam, caught at slip by Stokes for 5, and then trapping skipper Azhar Ali LBW for 18 runs.

Wicket keeper Rizwan, who was impressive behind the stumps, batted well in a partnership of 38 runs for the fifth wicket with Asad Shafiq, before a smart piece of fielding from Sibley saw the latter run out for 29.

Stokes claimed the wicket of Rizwan trapping him leg before wicket for 27. Shadab Khan fell in a similar manner to Broad.

Stokes then claimed his second as he had tailender Shaheen caught fending at a short ball just before the close of play. Pakistan ended Day 3 at 137/8, with an overall lead of 244.

Shan Masood’s brilliant century, followed by some top class Pakistan bowling left England reeling and put the tourist in a commanding position at the end of Day 2 of the opening test at Manchester on Thursday. Continue reading “England vs Pakistan First Test Day 2 Match Report-2020”

Shan Masood (46)* along with Babar Azam (69)* led Pakistan to a solid position at 139/2 at the end of Day 1, when bad light forced an early close at Old Trafford.

Here are our talking points from Day 1.

Resilient Shan Masood

England is generally regarded as one of the toughest places for an opening batsman. Masood became the first overseas opener in nearly four years to face more than 100 balls in the first innings of a test in the country. He was an able foil to Babar Azam, and their partnership helped Pakistan recover from the early loses of the two Ali’s- Abid & Azhar.

Buttler’s errors behind the stumps

Masood was dogged but also had a little bit of help from Jos Butler who gave him a couple of reprieves. One was a drop catch behind the wicket and the other was a missed stumping of the bowling off Dom Bess. Many have been clamouring for the inclusion of Ben Foakes into the starting line up but Buttler’s ex factor with the bat appears him to be keeping him in the side.

Pakistan choose to bat first

Unlike the West Indies who opted to field after winning the toss in the previous series, Pakistan opted to take first guard here. Its perhaps too early to predict whether the decision will prove right or wrong, but the visitors will be fairly happy with the state of affairs at the end of Day 1.

Brilliant Babar

Much of the talk about the Pakistan batting in the lead up to the series has resolved around one individual- Babar Azam, and he did not disappoint, with a dazzling array of strokes for a well compiled half century. Babar is one of those aesthetically pleasing batsman and Pakistan would be hoping that he can kick on tomorrow.

Pakistan after the end of Day 1- 139/2

Shan Masood (46)*, Babar Azam (69)*

Out of 7 games played against England at Manchester, Pakistan’s only victory came way back in the year 2001, where they defeated the home side by 108 runs. Continue reading “Pakistan’s test record against England at Old Trafford”