The second match of the three-match Test series being played between England and Pakistan is being played at Southampton. Pakistan captain Azhar Ali won the toss for the second consecutive match and decided to bat first. By the time the news was written, the Pakistan team, batting first, scored 120 runs at the loss of 5 wickets.
Pakistan’s first innings, third wicket fell
Pakistan’s start in the Southampton Test was very poor and the team got their first blow on the score of just 6 runs. James Anderson, who was batting on 1, sent Shan Masood out by LBW. After lunch, Anderson dismissed captain Azhar Ali to take England’s second wicket. He scored 20 and gave his catch to Rory Burns. Pakistan suffered a third setback after coming to the field again after the game was stopped due to rain. Playing at 60, Abid Ali was caught by Sam Curran at the hands of Burns.
Pakistan received a fourth blow in the form of Assad Shafiq. Steward Broad got him caught by Dom Sibley for 5 runs. Fawad Alam, who made a place in the Pakistan Test team after 11 years, could not even play his account. Vox sent him back to LBW.
Fawad returns after 11 years
Pakistani batsman Fawad Alam has been named in the Test playing XI after 11 years. He last played a Test match against New Zealand in 2009. On the other hand, two changes have also been made in the England team. Jack Crawley and Sam Curran have been replaced in this match replacing Ben Stokes and Joffra Archer. Stokes recently withdrew from the series for personal reasons.
England’s playing eleven
Rory Burns, Dom Sibley, Jack Crowley, Joe Root (captain), Ollie Pope, Jose Butler (wicketkeeper), Dom Bess, Sam Curran, Stuart Bord, James Anderson
Pakistan’s playing eleven
Shaan Masood, Abid Ali, Azhar Ali (captain), Babar Azam, Asad Shafiq, Fawad Alam, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Yasir Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Abbas, Naseem Shah
England won the match by making a superb comeback after trailing in the first innings in the first match. In the first innings, Pakistan had scored 326 runs in the opening innings of opener Shaan Masood and took England for 219 runs in the first innings to take a 107-run lead. In the second innings, England returned and piled the entire team of Pakistan for just 169 runs.
Chasing the target of 277 for victory, England had lost 5 wickets for 117 runs but Chris Woakes and Jos Buttler took the match in their favor by playing half-century. Vox scored an unbeaten 84 while Butler hit a 75-run knock.
