England dismiss Ayub but Pakistan reach 173-3 at tea in second Test in Multan – Sport

England fast bowler Matthew Potts removed opener Saim Ayub after a half-century before Pakistan reached 173-3 at tea on the opening day of the second Test in Multan on Tuesday.

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

At the break, Ghulam was unbeaten on 75 points while Saud Shakeel was not out on four points.

The left-handed Ayub scored a career-best 77 with seven boundaries before he missed a shot from Potts' penultimate over before tea and was caught by captain Ben Stokes at short middle.

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

Ayub and Ghulam took Pakistan to 79-2 at lunch after England's Jack Leach took two early wickets on a used pitch to offer help to the spinners.

Ayub was unbeaten on 40 and debutant Ghulam was not out on 29 as the pair steadied Pakistan at 19-2 after the home team won the toss and elected to bat in Multan.

Returning England captain Ben Stokes turned to his spinners after just five overs on the same pitch used in the first Test last week and Leach soon struck.

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

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

At lunch, Leach had 2-35 from 10 overs.

Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat in the second Test against England in Multan on Tuesday.

England lead the three-match series 1-0 after an innings, 47-run win in the first Test played at the same venue.

The defeat – Pakistan's sixth in as many Tests – prompted their selectors to drop top batsman Babar Azam.

Also ruled out were pace bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah, as well as spinner Abrar Ahmed, who was hospitalized with fever during the first Test.

Instead of Azam, batsman Kamran Ghulam will make his debut.

Pakistan opted for three spinners in their attack in the form of Sajid Khan, Zahid Mahmood and Noman Ali with just one pace bowler, Aamer Jamal.

England captain Ben Stokes returns from a hamstring injury and fast bowler Matthew Potts joins the team, while Gus Atkinson and Chris Woakes are absent from the first Test.

The third and final Test begins on October 24 in Rawalpindi.

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 Referees: Kumar Dharmasena (SRI), Chris Gaffaney (NZL) TV- Referee: Sharfuddoula Saikat (BAN) Match referee: Richie Richardson (WIS)