Pak vs Eng: Openers Crawley, Duckett out after scoring centuries
Rawalpindi: Openers Zac Crowley and Ben Duckett scored centuries on a batting pitch on Thursday to reach 2/247 after 38 overs on the first day of the first Test in Rawalpindi.
After England chose to bat first, both batsmen scored free runs.
Duckett was the first wicket to fall after lunch when he was bowled lbw by Zahid Mahmood while Haris Rauf clean-bowled Crowley for 122.
The visitors won the toss well and maintained their recent aggressive style, nicknamed “” by head coach Brendon McCullum.
Crowley showed his intent from the start, hitting Pakistan fast bowler Naseem Shah for three fours in the first over of the match, and completed his half-century off just 38 balls.
Crowley could have become the first England batsman to score a century before lunch on the first day of the Test but fell nine short.
Duckett, playing his first Test in six years, was equally offensive with 11 fours in his second half-century.
England’s strong batting had a perfect start to the Test – the first in 17 years in Pakistan – after Wednesday’s opening hung in the balance when several of the squad came down with a mystery virus.
Pakistan included pacers Haris Rauf and Muhammad Ali, spinner Zahid Mehmood, and batsman Saud Shakeel for their first Test, while England debuted Liam Livingstone and Will Jacks.
The start of the series was thrown into doubt after several members of the visiting squad fell ill the day before.
“The ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) has enlightened us that they are in a position to field an eleven and as such, the first Test will start today as scheduled,” it said in a message today.
An ECB spokesman said on Wednesday that the virus is not related to COVID-19, with players experiencing vomiting and diarrhoea.
Playing XI
England: Ben Stokes (c), Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (wk), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone, Ollie Robinson, Jack Leech, James Anderson.
Pakistan: Babar Azam (captain), Abdullah Shafiq, Imam-ul-Haq, Azhar Ali, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper batsman), Agha Salman, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Ali, Zahid, Mahmood
