England got a late reward at the end of a gruelling opening day's play on their tour of Pakistan, who were taken to 328-4 by centuries from Shan Masood and Abdullah Shafique.
An unprecedented 3-0 win was achieved by England here two years ago, but with a different team and in different conditions, this was always likely to be a difficult proposition.
So it proved after Pakistan won the toss in oppressive heat and pounced on the chance to bat first on the flattest of pitches.
Gus Atkinson had Saim Ayub caught down the leg side in the fourth over, only for opener Shafique and captain Masood to pile on 253 for the second wicket.
Masood overturned being given out lbw to England debutant Brydon Carse on 16 and Shafique could have been run out by stand-in skipper Ollie Pope on 34.
Both men eventually fell in the space of 17 deliveries, Shafique to Atkinson for 102 and Masood to Jack Leach for 151.
At 263-3, England had hope of taking more from the day, hope that was dimmed when Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel added 61, then realised when Chris Woakes pinned Babar leg before.
Brendon McCullum said before this match began that England were realistic about the challenge that awaited them. Perhaps the coach had days like this in mind.
McCullum also defended the late arrival of bowling consultant James Anderson, so instrumental in England’s success two years ago when he was still a player. Bar coming out of retirement, it is hard to imagine what Anderson could have done to help England combat these conditions.
The toss was crucial. For all the talk of a green pitch, the surface was shaved just before play to leave a placid, run-filled batting paradise.
Short of Pope calling differently when the coin went up, there was little else England could have tried. This was as tough as it gets for a pace attack that has barely played overseas, a young spinner in Shoaib Bashir and another, Leach, playing his first Test since January.
Despite temperatures of 35 degrees, limited preparation time and the absence of injured captain Ben Stokes, England stuck to the task. Their effort could not be faulted and they deserved the prized scalp of Babar.
The tourists can take heart from the likelihood of the pitch remaining good by the time they come to bat. When that might be is the big question.
Masood and Shafique cash in
Masood and his team are under pressure. Pakistan have gone 10 Tests without a home win and Masood has lost all five of his matches in charge, including a 2-0 defeat by Bangladesh in August.
But Masood has been open about his admiration for England's attacking intent and dished out some aggression of his own after Ayub tickled down the leg side from Atkinson's 10th delivery of the day.
How different it might have been for England had Carse's delivery that brought an lbw shout not pitched marginally outside Masood's leg stump, or if Pope's flick at the non-striker's stumps had hit when a diving Shafique was short of his ground. Pope possibly had time to remove the bails himself.
Left-hander Masood played through the covers, Shafique towards mid-wicket. Both attacked Bashir and were untroubled by England's bouncers. For Shafique it was a first Test hundred since July 2023; for Masood, a first in four years.
Both men were struggling with cramp when they fell in quick succession. Shafique drove Atkinson to Pope at cover, then Masood patted a return catch to Leach.
Babar looked ominous for his 30, only to play across Woakes, leaving Shakeel on 35 alongside nightwatchman Naseem Shah.
Source: BBC
BDST: 1007 HRS, OCT 08, 2024
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