PAK vs ENG: Imam, Abdullah lead Pakistan’s fightback against England

Pakistan scored 181 runs, without losing a wicket, in their first innings of the opening Test against England in Rawalpindi on Friday. 

At stumps on the second day, openers Imam-ul-Haq (90) and Abdullah Shafique (89) scored unbeaten fifties for the hosts.

Pakistan were on the backfoot after England posted a mammoth 657 in their first innings. However, Abdullah and Imam provided a solid start to keep their side in the match.  

On a flat pitch in Rawalpindi, the Babar Azam-led unit still trail by 476 in the first innings.

Earlier, resuming at 506-4, England added 151 runs in 125 minutes in the extended two-and-a-half-hour session, with Harry Brook taking his overnight score of 101 to 153 — one of four centurions in the innings.

Skipper Ben Stokes (41), debutant Liam Livingstone (nine) and Brook were all dismissed by pacer Naseem Shah, who finished with 3-140.

Leg-spinner Zahid Mahmood conceded 235 for his four wickets — the most by a bowler on a Test debut.

Previously, Sri Lankan off-spinner Suraj Randiv conceded 222 against India in Colombo in 2010.

England´s total is their highest against Pakistan in all Tests, improving on their 589-9 at Manchester in 2016.

On Thursday England became the first team to score 500 runs on the opening day of a Test match, bettering Australia´s 112-year-old record of 494-6 against South Africa in Sydney.

Zak Crawley (122), Ollie Pope (108) and Ben Duckett (107) were the other centurions in the innings.

The three-match Test series is England´s first in Pakistan for 17 years.