After a thrilling first test in Rawalpindi, the action of the Pakistan vs England test series has now reached Multan. Despite the brilliant result, the pitch of Rawalpindi was heavily criticized, and it will be interesting to see how the pitch in Multan will fare in the 2nd test.
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England impressed everyone with their aggressive approach in the first test, and they will be looking to do the same in this match as well. Liam Livingstone is ruled out of the first test, and the spin bowling options of England can be an issue for them. However, this team looks excellent.
Pakistan choked in the last match, and they will have to make a comeback here. With Shaheen Afridi already out and Haris Rauf being ruled out of the series, the bowling of the side has dealt a huge blow. The batters of the side also failed in the last match, and they will have to tie their laces.
Multan Cricket Stadium pitch report
Multan Cricket Stadium is hosting a test match after a spell of 16 long years, so it is definitely a very big occasion for this venue. Obviously, a fresh pitch is expected for this match. The last test played here was in 2006, the batters of both sides pelted runs on a flat track.
Multan’s track is again expected to be a typical subcontinent track with the initial days being excellent for the batters. This pitch may dry up as the game goes on, bringing the spinners into play. Babar Azam said after the last match that they wanted a spin-friendly pitch in Rawalpindi, but their wishes might get true in Multan.
Multan hosted an ODI this year between Pakistan and the West Indies, where spinners of both sides dominated the proceedings. The average 1st innings score in Multan is 344 runs, whereas the average 4th innings score is 218 runs. The spinners can be vital in this match.
Toss plays a very big part in the sub-continent tests, and it is a no-brainer that captains of both sides will be looking to bat first upon winning the toss. It is very tough to bat on the last days of the match.
