Cricket

Salman Agha's heroics propelled Pakistan to a commanding position on Day 2 of the first Test against England in Multan. The 30-year-old batsman played a pivotal role in Pakistan's charge, scoring an unbeaten 104 off 119 balls to guide his team past the 560-mark.Agha's innings was not without controversy, however. During one of his sixes off Jack Leach, a contentious decision by the third umpire, Chris Gaffaney, sparked debate. As Agha went after Leach, Chris Woakes, stationed at long-off, dived back to catch the ball on the ropes. However, Woakes' momentum carried him outside the boundary line before he threw the ball back into play. Upon jumping back to complete the catch, Gaffaney ruled that Woakes' right foot was grounded when he made contact with the ball, deeming it a six.The decision divided the cricket world, with many questioning the validity of the call. Replays showed that Woakes' foot appeared to be in the air when he caught the ball, but the third umpire's ruling stood.Despite the controversy, Agha continued to dominate the English bowlers. He reached his eighth Test fifty with a flurry of boundaries, including 10 fours and two sixes. His partnership with Saud Shakeel added an invaluable 57 runs for the seventh wicket, further solidifying Pakistan's position.Earlier in the day, Agha had survived a close call when Woakes lobbed the ball from behind the boundary line and caught it inside the ground. However, the third umpire ruled that Woakes' foot touched the ground beyond the rope, giving Agha a six.Agha's century marked a significant milestone in his career, as he surpassed 1,000 runs in his 15th Test. His innings was a testament to his resilience and determination, as he weathered the English bowlers' attack and played a crucial role in Pakistan's dominance.

Pakistan continued to dominate England in the second Test in Multan, extending their first-innings lead to 397 runs at lunch on day two. Saud Shakeel remained unbeaten on 67, while Salman Ali was yet to score.Naseem Shah, who resumed his role as nightwatchman, played a crucial role in Pakistan's progress. He scored his highest score in any format, 33 from 81 balls, and frustrated England's bowlers for over 90 minutes. Naseem hit three sixes during his partnership of 64 with Shakeel, ensuring that England had no quick route back into the game.England's only successes with the ball came through Brydon Carse, who dismissed Naseem, and Jack Leach, who removed Mohammad Rizwan for a duck. Pakistan added 69 runs in the session but lost Rizwan just before the interval.England had taken three wickets in the final session on day one, including that of Babar Azam. However, Naseem's resistance and Shakeel's steady accumulation have put Pakistan in a strong position.Shakeel, who has now scored 10 50-plus scores in 13 Tests, is looking to build on his half-century and guide Pakistan to a match-defining first-innings total. England, on the other hand, will need to find a way to break through Pakistan's stubborn batting lineup and regain control of the match.

Pakistan's Test skipper Shan Masood and opener Abdullah Shafique etched their names into the history books on the opening day of the first Test against England in Multan. On a grassy surface that belied its dryness, the duo forged an indelible partnership that shattered records and tested England's inexperienced bowlers to their limits.After Pakistan lost young opener Saim Ayub early to Gus Atkinson, Masood and Shafique embarked on a sensational 253-run stand for the second wicket. Their partnership became the fourth-highest for the second wicket in Pakistan Test cricket history, surpassing the previous record held by the legendary duo of Mushtaq Mohammad and Zaheer Abbas.Masood played the role of aggressor, scoring at a strike rate of 100 for much of his innings. Shafique, on the other hand, adopted a more cautious approach, especially when England resorted to a barrage of short balls in the second session.The record-breaking partnership came to an end after both players began to show signs of cramping up. Shafique's tired shot in Atkinson's over resulted in his dismissal for 102(184). Masood soon followed suit, caught by Jack Leach after misjudging a tossed-up delivery. He departed with a score of 151(177).The 253-run partnership was the second-highest ever witnessed at the Multan cricket stadium in Test format, behind only the iconic 336-run stand between India's Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar. It was also the first time in five years that England had conceded a 250-plus runs partnership in Test cricket.Masood and Shafique's record-tumbling stand set the tone for Pakistan's innings and gave them a commanding position in the match. Their partnership showcased their resilience, determination, and ability to adapt to challenging conditions. It will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the most memorable partnerships in Pakistan Test cricket history.

Babar Azam's struggles in Test cricket continued unabated as the former Pakistan captain once again failed to capitalize on a golden opportunity to silence his critics during the first Test against England in Multan on Monday.Despite Pakistan's strong showing on Day 1, with Shan Masood (151) and Abdullah Shafique (102) putting up a mammoth 253-run stand, Babar failed to capitalize on a comfortable position, scoring only 30 off 71 balls before being trapped lbw by England's Chris Woakes in the final session of the day.Woakes set him up brilliantly, beating him on both the outside and inside edges before delivering a full-length ball that nipped in just enough to hit Babar in front of the stumps. Babar reviewed the decision, hoping for a reprieve, but ball-tracking showed it was crashing into leg stump.The dismissal extended Babar's poor run in Test cricket, leaving fans disappointed once again. What added salt to the wound was the reaction of fans in the stadium. Several spectators were caught on camera sleeping during Babar's innings, a moment that quickly went viral on social media.Fans expressed their frustration online, trolling the Pakistan skipper for his continued lacklustre performances.Despite Babar forging a 61-run partnership with Saud Shakeel, his inability to convert starts into big scores is becoming a pattern that has fueled criticism, especially given Pakistan's dominance earlier in the day.Pakistan still ended Day 1 in a commanding position at 328/4, thanks to Masood and Shafique's heroics. But with every failure, the pressure mounts on Babar to regain his form and silence the growing voices of doubt.

England's head coach, Brendon McCullum, has defended the decision of legendary pacer James Anderson to delay his arrival in Pakistan for the ongoing Test series. Anderson, who is now the team's bowling coach, is participating in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, a pro-am golf competition in Scotland.As a result, Anderson missed the pre-series presentation for the three Tests in Pakistan and will not arrive until October 8, the second day of the first Test match. However, he has maintained contact with the English pacers, an inexperienced line-up led by veteran Chris Woakes and featuring youngsters Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse.McCullum defended Anderson's delayed arrival, saying, "Two months ago, you guys were saying he did not deserve to be the coach. Now we are missing him. That is affirmation of how good an impact Jimmy Anderson has made in the short period of time [during] his transition from player to coach."He also emphasized that Anderson has made a huge transition from a bowler to coach following a career over two decades and that his role is not full time.Pakistan is currently playing England in a three-match series, with the first Test at Multan starting today. Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first.England is at the fourth place in the ICC World Test Championship standings with eight wins, seven losses, and a draw after series wins against West Indies and Sri Lanka. Pakistan is eighth in the standings after their series loss to Bangladesh at home.

Pakistan's Shan Masood Breaks Four-Year Century Drought in Emotional Return to FormAfter a grueling 1524-day wait, Pakistan captain Shan Masood finally ended his Test century drought, reaching the milestone against England in the first Test in Multan on Monday. This century marked a significant moment for Masood, who has endured a challenging four-year period marked by inconsistency and setbacks.Masood's last Test hundred came in 2020, when he scored a magnificent 156 against England in Manchester. Since then, he has faced a turbulent period, being dropped from the national squad before eventually taking on the added pressure of leading the side as captain.Despite the challenges, Masood remained determined to regain his form. He worked tirelessly on his technique and mental approach, and his efforts paid off in Multan. The left-hander reached his century in style, clipping a ball behind square off Chris Woakes to collect a single.The crowd erupted in applause as Masood raised his bat to acknowledge the moment. His batting partner, Abdullah Shafique, embraced him to share in the special occasion. Masood's century was a testament to his resilience and unwavering belief in his abilities.Masood's Test centuries:* 100* vs England, Multan, 2024* 156 vs England, Manchester, 2020* 100 vs Bangladesh, Karachi, 2019* 135 vs Sri Lanka, Karachi, 2019* 125 vs Sri Lanka, Pallekele, 2015Masood's century has given Pakistan a solid foundation in the first Test against England. The hosts will be hoping to build on this momentum and secure a victory that would boost their confidence ahead of the upcoming World Test Championship matches.

India's participation in the upcoming Champions Trophy in Pakistan remains uncertain, contingent upon approval from the Indian government. However, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi expressed confidence that all teams, including India, will attend the tournament.During a press conference at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Naqvi provided updates on the ongoing renovations at the venue in preparation for the Champions Trophy. He emphasized the PCB's readiness to host the event and asserted that all teams would participate.When questioned about the potential visit of Jay Shah, the newly elected ICC Chairman, Naqvi stated that the details of his meetings were yet to be finalized. He reiterated his belief that there were no factors that would prevent the Indian team from participating.India has not yet confirmed its participation, with speculation that the tournament could adopt a hybrid format, with India's matches potentially being played at a venue outside Pakistan, similar to the Asia Cup.The PCB has reportedly expressed willingness to accommodate the logistical needs of the Indian team and fans by hosting all India matches in Lahore, which is conveniently located near Amritsar.The Champions Trophy, which returns to the ICC calendar after a seven-year hiatus, is scheduled to take place in February-March 2023. The tournament will feature the top eight ODI teams in the world, competing for the coveted trophy.

Pakistan vs England 1st Test Day 1: Pakistan Aims to End Home Test Losing StreakPakistan and England will clash in the first Test of a three-match series in Multan, Pakistan. The hosts, Pakistan, are eager to break their dismal streak of losing their last 10 home Tests. They will face an England team without their star all-rounder and captain, Ben Stokes, who is sidelined with a hamstring injury.Pakistan's batting lineup will be led by Babar Azam, the world's top-ranked Test batsman. He will be supported by Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood, and Saud Shakeel. The bowling attack will be spearheaded by Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah, who will be looking to exploit the Multan pitch's expected spin-friendly conditions.England, under the leadership of Ollie Pope, will be aiming to continue their impressive form in Test cricket. They will rely on the experience of Joe Root and the in-form Harry Brook to anchor their batting. The bowling attack will be led by Chris Woakes and Jack Leach, who will be tasked with containing Pakistan's dangerous batting lineup.The match is expected to be a closely contested affair, with both teams having their strengths and weaknesses. Pakistan will be determined to end their home Test losing streak, while England will be looking to extend their dominance in the format.

Renuka Singh's Inswinging Masterpiece Dismisses Pakistan's Feroza in T20 World Cup ThrillerIn a captivating display of swing bowling artistry, Indian seamer Renuka Singh unleashed a gem of a delivery to dismiss Pakistan's opener Gull Feroza in the Women's T20 World Cup match in Dubai on Sunday.Renuka, renowned for her exceptional ability to swing the ball both ways, executed a flawless inswinger that left Feroza utterly bewildered. The ball, pitched on a perfect length, swung in sharply, crashing into the stumps with a resounding thud.Feroza, caught off guard on the crease, could only watch helplessly as the bails were dislodged. Renuka's precision and control were evident in this classic delivery, providing India with a crucial breakthrough in the high-stakes contest.Earlier, Pakistan skipper Fatima Sana opted to bat after winning the toss. India made a strategic change in their playing XI, introducing off-spinner Sajeevan Sajana in place of injured medium pacer Pooja Vastrakar. Pakistan, on the other hand, brought in leg spinner Syeda Aroob Shahin to replace medium pacer Diana Baig.Renuka's dismissal of Feroza set the tone for India's bowling performance, as they restricted Pakistan to a modest total of 149/4. The Indian batters then chased down the target with relative ease, securing a comfortable victory.Renuka's exceptional bowling display has once again highlighted her status as one of the most formidable swing bowlers in women's cricket. Her ability to generate both inward and outward swing makes her a potent threat to batters of all styles.