Agha Salman’s Century Propels Pakistan as England Responds Strongly Agha Salman’s Century Propels Pakistan as England Responds Strongly
Agha Salman’s Century Propels Pakistan as England Responds Strongly

October 10, 2024

Agha Salman’s Century Propels Pakistan as England Responds Strongly

On Day 2 of the first Test against England in Multan, Pakistan’s batting was highlighted by a century from Salman Ali Agha and a half-century from Saud Shakeel. Their solid performance helped the team reach a total of 556 runs in the first innings. Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi also contributed significantly with the bat, while England finished the day at 96 for 1 after 20 overs, keeping up a brisk scoring pace.

Salman celebrated his century, reaching 100 runs off just 108 balls, drawing applause from the crowd during the final session. He formed a strong partnership with Shaheen Afridi, skillfully rotating the strike after the Tea break. The duo took advantage of the pitch, which was unhelpful for bowlers, and hit two sixes off left-arm spinner Jack Leach. However, Afridi attempted a big shot and was bowled out by Leach shortly after.

Earlier in the day, Pakistan started cautiously, with Naseem, acting as a nightwatchman, batting for nearly an hour and a half while Shakeel scored runs. Naseem eventually got out after a glance to fine leg, and Mohammed Rizwan followed soon after, dismissed for a duck at mid-off.

After lunch, Salman Ali Agha had a different plan and aggressively took on the England bowlers, hitting several boundaries in the first over after the break. He narrowly avoided being dismissed a few overs later when Chris Woakes caught a high ball but tumbled over the boundary while doing so. However, England quickly took two wickets: Saud Shakeel was out for 82, and Jamal was trapped leg-before by Carse.

With Shaheen Afridi’s dismissal, Pakistan had the opportunity to declare their innings but chose not to, recalling a recent loss to Bangladesh from a similar position. No. 11 batter Abrar Ahmed survived two close calls in just two overs. First, wicketkeeper Jamie Smith missed an easy stumping opportunity, and then Gus Atkinson dropped him at mid-wicket. But Joe Root eventually got his man, as Abrar edged a fast short ball to Ben Duckett at slip. In the process of catching the ball, Duckett was hit on the thumb, causing him to signal to the dressing room that he was in pain.

This prompted a reshuffle in England’s batting order, with Zak Crawley and captain Ollie Pope stepping up to bat. Embracing the aggressive Bazball approach on this pitch, England started strong, with Crawley hitting Afridi for a four in the very first over. Pope also made an impact, pulling a short ball from Naseem for a boundary, but his innings ended abruptly when Aamer Jamal took a spectacular one-handed catch at mid-wicket, dismissing Pope for a duck.

Despite the early wicket, England maintained their attacking mindset, regularly adding runs with singles, twos, and boundaries. They scored 11 runs off Abrar’s first over, including two boundaries, although Crawley’s edge fell well wide of slip. In Abrar’s next over, Joe Root also edged the ball but managed to run three runs, marking his 1,000th Test run in 2024.

Crawley continued his aggressive batting, hitting Abrar for two more boundaries in the 15th over. He repeated this feat in the 18th over against Naseem, bringing up his half-century. Meanwhile, Joe Root narrowly escaped being bowled by a low delivery from Afridi just before the close of play.

Brief Scores: Pakistan 556 (Shan Masood 151, Abdullah Shafique 102; Jack Leach 3-160) lead England 96/1 (Zak Crawley 64*, Joe Root 32*; Naseem Shah 1-29)

Read More: Salman, Shakeel take Pakistan above 500

India eye series win even as Bangladesh look for something ‘extra’ in Delhi

Although it’s October, Delhi is still experiencing hot weather, with temperatures in the mid-thirties that feel even higher. This aligns with the city’s tendency to go above and beyond in everything it does, from its extensive metro system—spanning 350 kilometers, the largest in the country by 80%—to the vibrant lifestyles of its residents.

The grandstand at Arun Jaitley Stadium perfectly reflects this theme. Its distinctive part-hexagonal design makes it stand out, much like the city itself. Coincidentally, it’s named after India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir, known for demanding excellence from his players. It was quite a sight to see him in front of the “Gautam Gambhir Stand,” wearing India’s colors as his team prepared to secure the series the following day.

India Dominates in Gwalior, While Bangladesh Aims for Redemption

India delivered an outstanding performance in Gwalior, showcasing the strength of their cricketing talent. Their lead pacer excelled in his new role, the fast bowler unleashed powerful deliveries, and the returning spinner demonstrated the depth of talent in Indian cricket. The openers quickly knocked off 55% of the target during the PowerPlay, setting the stage for Suryakumar Yadav’s explosive cameo and Hardik Pandya’s stylish no-look uppercut in a comfortable run chase. Debutant Nitish Reddy finishing the game was the perfect highlight.

Bangladesh now faces a tough task against India’s strong batting lineup on one of the country’s fastest-scoring grounds. To level the series and give Mahmudullah a memorable farewell from the format, Nazmul Hossain Shanto’s team will need to find an extra edge, echoing the vibrant spirit of Gwalior. Despite their seven-wicket loss in the previous match, they can take heart from the fact that this is the venue where they secured their only T20I victory over India.

When: 2nd T20I, October 9, 2024, 7:00 PM local

Where: Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi

What to expect: A run-fest. Arshdeep said he doesn’t even “feel like” looking at the wicket after how it played during the IPL earlier this year.

Since the pitch relaying at this venue, it has consistently produced high-scoring matches, and this one is expected to follow suit. With square boundaries measuring under 65 meters on either side, scoring runs will be easier. Since 2022, Delhi has hosted 12 IPL games and one T20I, with teams batting first winning 8 of those matches. The weather is also expected to be fair.

Team News

India
There’s no reason for India to change their combination, given their wealth of all-round talent, which may mean a longer wait for Harshit Rana to make his debut. The team held an optional practice session the afternoon before the match, with players like Arshdeep Singh, Hardik Pandya, and Mayank Yadav taking the day off.

Tactics & Match-ups

Sanju Samson has received a new opportunity at the top of the order, and he showed promise in Gwalior. His matchup against Mehidy Hasan’s offspin will be crucial to watch, especially since he lost his wicket to him in the first T20I.

Probable XI for India

  • Abhishek Sharma
  • Sanju Samson (w)
  • Suryakumar Yadav (c)
  • Nitish Reddy
  • Hardik Pandya
  • Riyan Parag
  • Rinku Singh
  • Washington Sundar
  • Varun Chakravarthy
  • Arshdeep Singh
  • Mayank Yadav

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Bangladesh

Litton Das injured his finger while fielding in Gwalior but has recovered well. Bangladesh now faces a decision between Taskin Ahmed, who played in the first T20I, and Tanzim Hasan Sakib for their lineup.

Tactics & Match-ups

Litton Das has struggled against left-arm pace since early 2022, a trend that continued in Gwalior. With Arshdeep Singh expected to take the new ball again, Bangladesh will need significant runs from Litton if they hope to level the series.

Probable XI for Bangladesh

  • Litton Das (w)
  • Parvez Hossain Emon
  • Najmul Hossain Shanto (c)
  • Towhid Hridoy
  • Mahmudullah
  • Jaker Ali
  • Mehidy Hasan Miraz
  • Rishad Hossain
  • Tanzim Hasan Sakib / Taskin Ahmed
  • Mustafizur Rahman
  • Shoriful Islam

Read More: Ab De Villiers Reacts To Possibility Of Rohit Sharma Playing For RCB In IPL 2025

Did You Know?

What They Said

  • Arshdeep Singh: “Punjab Kings didn’t have a match here in the IPL this season, but given the scores at this ground, I didn’t feel like seeing the wicket. We will come tomorrow, assess the conditions, and make plans accordingly.”
  • Mahmudullah: “The most frustrating moment of my career was the loss to India in the 2016 T20 World Cup in Bangalore. It was a life-changing moment for me and taught me a lot.”

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author
Katarzyna Nowak

Katarzyna Nowak is a seasoned writer with over five years of experience in editorial content, news reporting, and cricket sportsbook app reviews. As an author for IPLWin365 (IPL365 News), she combines her deep understanding of the sports betting industry with a passion for cricket, delivering insightful and accurate content that keeps readers informed and engaged.