Multan: Pakistan staged a remarkable comeback in the second Test against England, restricting the opposition to 239 for 6 at the conclusion of the second day's play following their initial score of 366 runs.
England initiated their innings with a fervent approach, yet failed to maintain the initial surge. Ben Duckett emerged as the leading scorer with an impressive 114 runs, marking his third century. The majority of the English batsmen were unable to sustain their performance.
Pakistani bowlers, notably Sajid Khan, put up a strong fight, leaving England in a vulnerable position at the end of the second day's session.
The second day saw Mohammad Rizwan and Agha Salman return to the crease for Pakistan. The duo aimed to extend their overnight total, but their partnership was abruptly interrupted by Brydon Carse, who dismissed Rizwan for 41. The team reached the 300-run milestone in just 100.2 overs, yet Salman's dismissal for 31 by Matthew Potts altered the balance in favor of England.
Aamer Jamal offered some resistance with his knock of 37 before being dismissed by Carse. The final wickets fell swiftly as Jack Leach assumed control, dismissing Sajid Khan for just two runs and Noman Ali for a formidable 32 runs.
Zahid Mahmood remained unbeaten on 2, contributing to Pakistan's total of 366.
Leach stood out as England's most effective bowler, taking four wickets for 114 runs, while Carse claimed three wickets. Matthew Potts and Bashir were credited with two and one wicket respectively.
In response, England's opening pair, Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley, put on a brisk start, reaching 50 runs in just 7.5 overs. However, Crawley was dismissed for 27, caught by Noman Ali after a solid 73-run partnership with Duckett.
Ollie Pope, who had captained the team in the previous Test, added 29 runs before succumbing to Sajid. Joe Root, who had been in exceptional form in the previous match, made 34 runs before also being dismissed by Sajid.
Sajid also sent Duckett to the pavilion, leaving England at 175 for 2. However, a dramatic collapse ensued as England slipped to 225 for 6, with Ben Stokes falling for the first time, becoming Noman Ali's second wicket.
Harry Brook, who had scored a triple century in the previous match, could only manage nine runs in this innings before being bowled by Sajid, who completed a four-wicket haul.
As the day drew to a close, Jamie Smith (12*) and Brydon Carse (2*) remained at the crease, with England facing a challenging situation. The match remains finely poised as the third day approaches, with Pakistan's bowlers poised to capitalize on their momentum.
Brief score: Pakistan 366 (Kamran Ghulam 118, Saim Ayub 77; Jack Leach 4-114) vs England 239/6 (Ben Duckett 114, Joe Root 34; Sajid Khan 4-86).
