Cricket–Saim, Kamran steady Pakistan after Leach’s double blow

Saim was batting on 40 having raised 60 runs with Kamran, who was on 29, at the Multan Cricket Ground.

Pakistan captain Shan Masood won the toss but was soon ruing his decision to bat first as the hosts slumped to 19-2 inside 40 minutes.

After five overs of seam bowling, England captain Ben Stokes opted for spin from both ends and the decision paid off immediately.

Leach beat Abdullah Shafique’s tentative prod and uprooted the off-stump to dismiss the opener for seven.

In his next over the left-arm spinner dismissed Shan for three, getting the Pakistan captain to flick a delivery from outside the off-stump into the hand of Zak Crawley at short mid-wicket.

With Pakistan in trouble, Kamran walked in for his first test but the right-hander showed no nerves as he stepped out against Leach hitting the spinner over his head for a big six.

England were bolstered by the return of Stokes, who missed their comprehensive victory in the opening test at the same venue to complete his recovery from a hamstring injury.

Stung by the innings defeat, Pakistan have dropped out-of-form batter Babar Azam and frontline pacers Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah.

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