After a shellacking by an innings and 48 runs, Pakistan are under the pump to make a roaring comeback in the second Test of the three-match series against England.
The second Test match will also be played at the Multan Cricket Stadium – the same venue which hosted the first game. While the first Test witnessed a run-fest, the second may see a tug-of-war between the bat and ball.
Notably, Pakistan are highly likely to use the same pitch for the second Test which saw the bowlers duck for cover as England registered a thumping win at the end.
As per a report by ESPNcricinfo, the ground staff used “industrial-sized fans” to dry the wicket after heavily watering it.
The decision to use the same surface for the second Test will bring the spinners into play and the fans can expect a bit of contest between the batters and bowlers instead of the undisputed dominance which was on display during the first game.
Former England captain Kevin Pietersen was fairly critical of the surface and had called it a “graveyard” for bowlers. Pietersen had also suggested that the teams should play the second and the third Test on the same strip.
Meanwhile, Pakistan are sweating over the availability of their mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed, who was taken to hospital after day four and didn’t come out to bat in the second innings of the game.
The England batters had launched an onslaught against Abrar as he conceded 174 runs in 35 overs at an economy rate of five runs per over.
Pakistan are yet to announce their squad for the second Test and if Abrar is unavailable then it may lead to an opportunity for the left-arm orthodox bowler Noman Ali who warmed the bench during the first Test.
On the other hand, England are likely to be bolstered by the return of Ben Stokes to the playing XI and may choose to go with three spinners instead of two with Rehan Ahmed slotting in place of a seamer.
Multan Cricket Stadium Pitch Report
Spinners can have a huge role to play since they are going to play on the used pitch. The pitch is likely to deteriorate faster and therefore the batters will have to deal with low bounce as the Test match progresses.
Multan Cricket Stadium Test Record and Stats
Total Matches: 7
Matches won batting first: 3
Matches won bowling first: 3
Average 1st innings Score: 365
Average 2nd innings Score: 451
Average 3rd innings Score: 259
Average 4th innings Score: 255
Highest total recorded: 823/7 by ENG vs PAK
Lowest total recorded: 134/10 by BAN vs PAK
Highest score chased: 262/9 by PAK vs BAN
Lowest score defended: 175/10 by ENG vs PAK
