Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik of Pakistan entered the record books with their 168-run partnership for the second wicket against England in the first Test in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. This is Pakistan’s second highest partnership for the second wicket against England, overtaking the 144 by Mansoor Akhtar and Mohsin Khan at Lord’s in 1982.
The highest partnership for the second wicket by a Pakistan pair against England is 291 by Mushtaq Mohammad and Zaheer Abbas. The match in Birmingham in 1971 ended in a draw, but not before Zaheer Abbas scored his highest Test score of 274.
Earlier, Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat in the first Test against England in Abu Dhabi. Shan Masood and Mohammad Hafeez opened for Pakistan. However, England struck early with James Anderson removing Masood (two) in the third over.
Malik and Hafeez then made a slow and steady progress. By lunch, Pakistan were 82 for the loss of one wicket, with Hafeez on 44. The session included a dropped catch by England veteran Ian Bell, who failed to latch on to a snick from Hafeez in the second slip. This put Hafeez, who was on seven at that point, on the path to his third consecutive 50-plus score at the venue. Soon after lunch, Hafeez completed his 11th half-century.
Malik’s innings was also favoured by luck. On way to his ninth Test half-century, he was caught at gully off Stuart Broad. However, the umpire signalled it a no-ball. Malik was on 40 then.
The last time a Pakistan pair scored over 100 runs for the second wicket against England was in 1996, when Ijaz Ahmed and Saeed Anwar steered the team from 106 for one to 239 for two.
For the record:
291: Mushtaq Mohammad and Zaheer Abbas, Birmingham (1971).
168: Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik, Abu Dhabi (2015).
144: Mansoor Akhtar and Mohsin Khan, Lord’s (1982).
142: Asif Mujtaba and Rameez Raja, Manchester (1992).
137: Imtiaz Ahmed and Mushtaq Mohammad, Oval (1962).
133: Ijaz Ahmed and Saeed Anwar, The Oval (1996).
Comments
SHARE