Pakistan’s Kamran Ghulam made headlines with an incredible century, leading his team to 259-5 on the opening day of the second Test match against England in Multan.
Against England’s aggressive bowling, 29-year-old Ghulam, who took Babar Azam’s place at number four after he was out of form, showed tenacity and technique. His 118-run strike was the day’s high point and gave Pakistan’s batting order much-needed solidity.
On the first day of the second Test match against England in Multan on Tuesday, Kamran Ghulam scored an incredible century in his debut to lead Pakistan to 259-5. The 29-year-old scored 118 after thwarting England’s aggressive bowling and fielding, replacing the out-of-form Babar Azam at number four. With 37 and 5, respectively, Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha were undefeated at the end of an even day’s play.
After smashing a national record 1,249 runs in the 2020 domestic season, Ghulam’s exasperatingly long search for a spot in the Pakistani team came to an end on this day. After the hosts, who had won the toss, were trailing 19–2, with England spinner Jack Leach hitting twice in the first hour, Ghulam spearheaded a comeback.
Along with Saim Ayub, who hit a career-high 77, Ghulam combined 149 for the decisive third wicket. He and Rizwan also added 65 for the fifth wicket.
After taking 280 minutes, he became the 12th hitter from Pakistan to achieve three figures with a boundary off spinner Joe Root. This was his first Test century.
After a determined 323-minute performance that was laced with 11 fours and a six, Ghulam was bowled by spinner Shoaib Bashir with only 30 minutes remaining before stumps.
His century, according to Ghulam, was a prize for his patience.
After Ben Duckett missed a tough chance off Leach on 79, Ghulam commented, “It is delightful to score a hundred and that too as a replacement for Babar Azam, who has been a great player for Pakistan.”
“I saw that with a bated breath but Almighty was so kind on me,” Ghulam remarked.
“I just took it as a normal first-class match and never took the pressure of a bad start to the team’s innings.”
Ghulam, one of twelve brothers, stated that his large family in the northwest city of Peshawar will commemorate his centennial.
There was one brother present.
“It is a family occasion now with my younger brother watching in the stadium, so I am proud of the feat,” he stated.
Following an exciting day of play, England will also be pleased.
After lunch, they deployed a short mid-off and two mid-wicket fielders to take wickets, but the Multan surface, which was also used for the first Test, provided the spinners with very little assistance despite some early promise.
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One of two changes from England’s crushing innings victory in the first Test, captain Ben Stokes bowled five overs and appeared to be fully recovered from the hamstring strain that kept him out of the match.
Before the tea break, Brydon Carse dismissed Saud Shakeel for four and Matthew Potts ended Ayub’s knock when the batsman patted to Stokes at short mid-off.
Bashir, Carse, and Potts each have one wicket, while Leach has statistics of 2-92.
With the score at 15, Leach bowled Abdullah Shafique for seven in the morning’s eighth over.
The left-arm spinner’s next delivery saw Zak Crawley catch captain Shan Masood low at short midwicket for three.
The three-match series is 1-0 in favor of England.
The selectors made significant changes after Pakistan’s crushing loss last week, their sixth in as many Test matches. Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Abrar Ahmed were dropped.
Pakistan only had one fast bowler, Aamer Jamal, after bringing in Sajid Khan, Zahid Mahmood, and Noman Ali in addition to Ghulam.