Ben Stokes' Test return overshadowed by Noman Ali's bowling
Ben Stokes, England's cricket captain, made an underwhelming return to Test cricket after a three-month hiatus. Stokes's comeback was marred by a disappointing performance against Pakistan in the second match held in Multan. The England skipper was dismissed by Noman Ali on a pitch known for its batting-friendly conditions. England finished Day 2 on 239/6 at stumps. Pakistan were earlier folded for 366 after resuming Day 2 on 259/5.
Stokes's dismissal: A combination of skillful bowling and fielding
Stokes came in place of Ben Duckett, who had scored 114 before getting dismissed by Sajid Khan. He was up against Noman Ali in the 45th over of England's first innings. Ali bowled a flighted ball around off-stump which turned sharply back in, resulting in an inside edge from Stokes which brushed his front pad and popped up in the air. Abdullah Shafique at square leg made a full-length dive to his right, pulling off an impressive catch.
Pakistan's strong start and Sajid Khan's bowling prowess
Pakistan laid a solid foundation with 366 runs in their first innings, courtesy Kamran Ghulam's century and Saim Ayub's gritty half-century. Sajid Khan proved to be a major headache for England, spinning his way through their batting order and keeping the visitors on the back foot. He picked up two important wickets - Joe Root and Harry Brook - piling more pressure on England. England were 211/2 at one stage before being reduced to 225/6.
