England off-spinner Shoaib Bashir delivered a crucial breakthrough on Day 2 of the opening Test against Pakistan at the Multan Cricket Stadium, denying Saud Shakeel a well-deserved century. The incident occurred in the 126th over of Pakistan’s innings when Shakeel, batting on 82, was lured into a mistake by Bashir’s sharp turn from leg to off.
The southpaw attempted to fend off the delivery but only managed to edge it lightly, with the ball striking wicketkeeper Jamie Smith’s pad before flying to Joe Root at slip. Root took a sharp, low catch, and umpire Kumar Dharmasena raised his finger without hesitation, sealing Shakeel’s fate. This dismissal brought an end to a promising 57-run partnership between Shakeel and Salman Ali Agha.
Shoaib Bashir Strikes as Saud Shakeel Falls Short of Century on Day 2
For Bashir, it was his first wicket of the innings, having struggled earlier to find success against the likes of Abdullah Shafique and Shan Masood, who comfortably handled his bowling and found regular boundaries. The wicket of the 29-year-old Shakeel proved to be a key moment, cutting short his gritty innings and leaving Pakistan needing to rebuild in the face of mounting pressure.
