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The first day of the first Test between Pakistan and England in Multan witnessed a flat pitch that offered little assistance to the bowlers. Despite the challenging conditions, England put up a solid performance, holding their own against the Pakistani batsmen. According to Cricviz data, the Multan pitch was the second-flattest for day one of a Test since 2007, with minimal swing and turn, making it difficult for both seamers and spinners to generate wickets.
Despite the lack of assistance from the pitch, England's bowlers exhibited determination and tactical acumen. Ollie Pope, filling the void left by the absent Ben Stokes, displayed a similar level of creativity and tactical awareness. He shuffled his bowlers, experimented with field placements, and cleverly targeted the Pakistani batsmen's vulnerabilities. Notably, Pope utilized left-arm spinner Jack Leach effectively, who, despite playing his first Test since January, managed to take a crucial wicket. Another standout performance came from Chris Woakes, who secured the crucial wicket of Babar Azam, Pakistan's most formidable batsman, with a nip-backer. This impressive delivery showcased Woakes' ability to adapt to challenging conditions and his consistent ability to take wickets at the highest level.
England's bowling tactics, however, were not without criticism. The over-eagerness to bowl bouncers, a tactic often favored by England, was questioned. While the tactic worked well against some batsmen, its effectiveness was debatable against others. The decision to deploy short-pitched deliveries early in the match, particularly from the pace bowlers, seemed premature and may have contributed to the lack of breakthroughs. Despite the criticism, England's bowling unit displayed a good understanding of the conditions and showed adaptability in their tactics. The performance of Pope, Woakes, and Leach demonstrated that England can be competitive even without their star all-rounder, Ben Stokes. As the series progresses, it will be interesting to see how England's bowling attack evolves and whether they can maintain this positive momentum.
Source: Pakistan vs England: Tourists and Ollie Pope do just fine on opening day of first Test in Multan