England put on an impressive batting display as they crushed the Pakistan bowlers to register a mammoth 506 runs losing just 4 wickets on the opening day of the first Test at the Pindi Cricket Stadium.
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The English top-order is entirely credited for the massive score as they took full advantage of the poor pitch.
As many as four batters including Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pop, and Harry Brook smashed a century each to their names. The opening pair of Crawley and Duckett initiated the innings in a spectacular fashion and set the foundation with a 233-run stand before Pakistan spinner Zahid Mahmood sent off Duckett on 107 runs. In the next over, Crawley’s 122-run knock came to an end as pacer Haris Rauf rattled the stumps with a brilliant reverse swing.
Following the departure of their openers, wicketkeeper-batter Pope took on the responsibility and registered 108 runs off just 104 deliveries. Joining hands with Brook, Pope stitched a 176-run partnership before Mohammad Ali broke it. Brook came out all guns blazing, bringing up his maiden ton in just 80 balls. During his explosive innings, the 23-year-old notched up a total of 14 boundaries and 2 maximums. At stumps, Brook remained unbeaten at 101 with skipper Ben Stokes batting at 15-ball 34.
The 500-plus total on a single day by The Three Lions has generated remarkable reactions among global cricket enthusiasts. Former English captain Michael Vaughan took to Twitter and dropped a question asking, “Has any team ever scored 500 on day 1 of a Test match?”
