Pakistan v England 1st Test day one: Younis Khan sets runs record
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Younis Khan broke Pakistan’s Test runs record on day one of their opening encounter against England in Abu Dhabi, with Shoaib Malik making an unbeaten century on his first appearance at this level for five years to put the hosts on 286-4 at stumps.
Although James Anderson claimed an early victim in Shan Masood for two to make it 5-1, Stuart Broad’s no ball delivery with Pakistan at 101-1 prevented Malik, then on 40, following suit after lunch and that spurred him on to 124 not out.
Ben Stokes denied Mohammad Hafeez a century of his own, bowling him lbw for 98 to make it 173-2. Broad perhaps atoned for his Malik mistake, however, as England captain Alastair Cook caught record breaker Khan from his delivery for 38.
Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq followed suit for just three off Anderson, with the third umpire giving him out on noise when edging it to Jos Buttler, reducing the hosts to 251-4.
Further inroads were made by the Pakistani batsmen, however, with Cook leaving it until the last 10 minutes before taking the new ball on a pitch that did nothing whatsoever for spin bowling. Debutant Adil Rashid thus had a day forget at 0-76 and a high economy of almost 4.5 with no maidens, while Moeen Ali, who is set to opening the batting when England’s turn at the crease comes, also toiled to 0-73.
Ian Bell dropped two catches off Anderson deliveries, with his figures of 2-29 the best by far of the England attack and he’s now among the all-time top 10 wicket-takers in Test history. It remains to be seen if the pitch will turn for the second innings, but wickets for Broad (1-30) and Stokes (1-35) hint that pace in sweltering conditions is how to get at Pakistan.
Khan surpassed Javed Miandad’s mark of 8832 runs to set a new scoring standard for the Subcontinent side, while a fruitless combined 36 overs from spinner duo Ali and Rashid is cause for concern for England, who are now 11/1 with Coral to turn things round and win this Test.
