Debutant Kamran Ghulam slam Test century against England

Kamran Ghulam impressed everyone with his brilliant batting as the star slammed a century on debut during Day 1 of the second Test match against England on Tuesday.

The 29-year-old slammed his century off 192 balls with the help of 9 fours and 1 six.

Kamran Ghulam has a strong record in domestic cricket, with 4,377 runs in 59 matches at an average of 49.17, including 16 centuries and 20 half-centuries.

Ayub and debutant Kamran Ghulam had lifted Pakistan from a precarious 19-2 with a third-wicket stand of 149 on a used pitch that assisted the spinners.

The left-handed Ayub scored a career-best 77 studded with seven boundaries before he miscued a push off Potts’s penultimate over before tea and was caught by captain Ben Stokes at short mid-off position.

Ghulam, who replaced Babar Azam in one of four changes from Pakistan’s innings defeat in the first Test, also in Multan, has so far hit five fours and a six.

Pakistan, who won the toss and batted, were hit hard at the start with a double wicket strike by spinner Jack Leach, who was brought to bowl in the sixth over of the day.

Leach has taken 2-62.

Abdullah Shafique was bowled by Leach for seven in the eighth over of the morning with the score on 15.

In his next over, the left-arm spinner had captain Shan Masood caught low at short midwicket by Zak Crawley for three.

England lead the three-match series 1-0.

Pakistan’s defeat last week — their sixth in as many Tests — prompted the selectors to make wholesale changes, with Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Abrar Ahmed dropped.

Other than Ghulam, Pakistan also brought in the spin trio of Sajid Khan, Zahid Mahmood and Noman Ali, leaving them with only one fast bowler in Aamer Jamal.

Stokes was back from a hamstring injury for England, replacing Chris Woakes, while fast bowler Potts came in for Gus Atkinson.

Pakistan: Shan Masood (captain), Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Agha, Aamer Jamal, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Zahid Mahmood

England: Ben Stokes (captain), Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith, Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir