England Faces Setback as Ben Duckett Injured During First Test Against Pakistan

England have suffered a significant blow in their ongoing Test match against Pakistan. Ben Duckett sustained a thumb injury while taking a catch that ended Pakistan’s innings. The incident occurred as Duckett caught Abrar Ahmed’s edge, but the ball struck his left thumb, prompting him to signal for medical attention immediately.

Details of Duckett’s Injury

The injury occurred in the final moments of Pakistan’s first innings when Duckett attempted to catch a short delivery that was edged to slip. The impact of the ball hitting his thumb was severe enough for him to immediately indicate discomfort and signal towards the dressing room. Medical staff quickly attended to him, assessing the extent of the injury. Initial reports suggest that Duckett may have suffered a sprain or possible fracture, but further scans will determine the exact nature of the damage.

Following the incident, Ollie Pope stepped in to open the batting alongside Zak Crawley. This change is concerning for England, as they now have their captain opening the innings after nearly two days on the field. Duckett’s absence could impact England’s batting depth significantly, especially considering his recent form and contributions at the top of the order.

Pakistan’s Strong First Innings Against England

Pakistan’s innings reached 556 all out, thanks in part to Agha Salman’s impressive unbeaten score of 79. His performance helped Pakistan extend their innings into the fifth session of the first Test in Multan. Salman formed a solid partnership with Saud Shakeel, who fell just 18 runs short of his century. Together, they built a half-century stand that frustrated England’s bowlers.

Unlike their approach on the opening day, Pakistan adopted a more conservative strategy on Day 2. Naseem Shah, sent in as a nightwatchman, batted for over an hour before Brydon Carse claimed his first Test wicket. Naseem was dismissed for 33 runs after playing a glance towards short fine leg.

Key Moments of the Match

As lunch approached, England managed to take another crucial wicket when Mohammed Rizwan was caught at mid-off for a duck. Rizwan’s dismissal provided some relief to England after a challenging morning session.

However, Shakeel and Salman continued to frustrate England after lunch. Salman attacked Jack Leach aggressively right after the break, hitting boundaries and maintaining momentum. A near-catch by Chris Woakes at long off almost led to Salman’s downfall but he managed to stay in.

England struck again shortly after drinks when Shakeel edged an off-spinner to slips. Carse followed up by trapping Aamer Jamal leg-before-wicket, raising hopes of quickly wrapping up Pakistan’s lower order. Yet, Shaheen Afridi and Salman held firm, extending their partnership and leading Pakistan to a commanding total of 556 in the first innings. 

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