Watch: Aamer Jamal pulls off one-handed stunner to send Ollie Pope packing

Aamer Jamal, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Babar Azam. (Photo Source: X(Twitter)

The returning Aamer Jamal gave Pakistan the perfect start they were hoping for with the ball. In the second over of England’s batting, Ollie Pope pulled Naseem Shah with the hope of a boundary and it looked safe at first glance but Jamal leapt to his right and grabbed a one-handed catch to send him packing. The crowd in Multan went frenzy and so did the Pakistan players as Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi ran from a distance to celebrate the brilliant catch.

The England skipper departed without opening his tally and most importantly, Pakistan managed a brilliant start, which was needed after an embarrassing 2-0 defeat to Bangladesh in August. Jamal, who had a terrific time in Australia, missed the Bangladesh series owing to a back issue and on his return, made an instant impact. He now needs to deliver with the ball, one area that Pakistan have struggled recently.

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UNBELIEVABLE CATCH 😲

Aamir Jamal pucks it out of thin air to send back the England captain 👌#PAKvENG | #TestAtHome pic.twitter.com/MY3vsto4St

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) October 8, 2024

Meanwhile, the hosts posted 556 runs in the first innings. Captain Shan Masood and opener Abdullah Shafique scored a century each, which set the tone for the middle order batters to dominate. Saud Shakeel stepped up and made 82 runs while Agha Salman remained unbeaten for 104 runs. After a disappointing batting performance against Bangladesh, Pakistan needed a strong comeback and will be happy with the performance.

Also Read – Jeetan Patel content with England’s resolute effort late on Day 1

The England bowlers, on the other hand, had a poor outing but the surface also didn’t help them much. Spinner Jack Leach picked up a three-wicket haul while Brydon Carse and Gus Atkinson picked up two wickets each.

When it came to their batting, Zak Crawley took care of the business after Pope went back to the dressing room. He played an aggressive brand of cricket, like he does while batting at three, Joe Root played the role of an anchor. England will be hoping to accelerate on Day 3 and take a lead, or else the game can finish on level terms. For Pakistan, it remains simple – pick the remaining nine wickets as soon as possible.