Multan
Pakistan’s Test captain Shan Masood and opener Abdullah Shafique made history on the opening day of the first Test against England in Multan, forming a remarkable 253-run partnership for the second wicket. The duo’s stand is now the fourth-highest in Pakistan’s Test history for that wicket.
After the early loss of opener Saim Ayub, caught by Gus Atkinson, Masood and Shafique took charge on a challenging grassy pitch. Masood, playing an aggressive innings, led the attack, maintaining a strike rate of 100 for most of his time at the crease. Shafique, in contrast, adopted a more cautious approach, especially when England turned to short-pitched bowling in the second session.
Their partnership came to an end as both players began to tire, with Shafique dismissed for 102 runs from 184 balls. Shortly after, Masood followed, caught by spinner Jack Leach after scoring an impressive 151 off 177 deliveries.
This partnership is now the second-highest ever witnessed at the historic Multan cricket stadium, with only Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar’s 336-run stand for India surpassing it. It also marked the first time since December 2019 that England has conceded a 250-plus partnership in Test cricket.
Masood and Shafique’s remarkable performance has etched their names in Pakistan cricket history, continuing a tradition of memorable partnerships in the sport.
