Kamran Ghulam has scored a fluent hundred in a memorable Test debut to guide Pakistan to 5-259 on day one of the second Test against England.
Kamran was drafted in to replace out-of-form Babar Azam after Pakistan’s innings defeat in the series opener, and the 29-year-old impressed immediately with a stellar 118 that included 11 fours and a six.
The batter, who had a low-key stint as an overseas professional in club cricket in Yorkshire last summer, showed plenty of poise.
Pakistan were reeling at 2-19 when Kamran walked in and the right-hander forged a 149-run stand with opener Saim Ayub (77) to steady the innings.
He also raised 65 runs with Mohammad Rizwan, who was batting on 37 not out at stumps with Salman Agha on five at the other end.
With the match being played on the same pitch as last week it was an easy decision for Pakistan captain Shan Masood to bat first after winning the toss, but the innings did not initially go to plan.
After five overs of seam bowling, England captain Ben Stokes opted for spin from both ends and the decision paid off immediately.
Jack Leach beat Abdullah Shafique’s tentative prod and uprooted the off-stump to dismiss the opener for seven.
In his next over the left-arm spinner dismissed Shan for three, getting the Pakistan skipper to flick a delivery from outside the off-stump into the hand of Zak Crawley at short mid-wicket.
Kamran showed no nerves though as he stepped out against Leach hitting the spinner over his head for a big six.
Keen to break the stand Stokes, who missed England’s last four Tests through injury, brought himself on after lunch and proved quite a handful with his swing and awkward bounce though a wicket eluded him.
Stokes maintained an attacking field, and Saim eventually fell into the trap, pushing a ball from Matthew Potts straight into the hand of the England captain at short mid-off.
Kamran got a lifeline on 79 when Ben Duckett spilled a tough catch at mid-on and the batter went on to bring up his hundred with a four off Joe Root.
After England took the new ball off-spinner Bashir ended Kamran’s fine knock when the off-spinner lured him out, beat him with turn and knocked back the leg stump.
https://thewest.com.au/sport/cricket/kamran-fills-babars-shoes-with-debut-ton-for-pakistan-c-16404842
