NEWS
Follow UsHeading into the first Test against Pakistan in Multan, Chris Woakes hadn’t played a Test in Asia in eight years. His last appearance came all the way back at Wankhede against India in December 2016, where he registered 1/79 in the 16 overs he bowled.
Woakes, in all likelihood, would not have played this ongoing Multan Test had Mark Wood been fit but an injury to Wood left the English management with no option but to trust Woakes given the inexperienced nature of the other bowlers in the squad.
On a Multan surface as flat as a pancake, Woakes had to toil hard. And after 14 tiring overs, it looked like the right-armer would end Day 1 wicketless.
However, Woakes struck gold on his 15th over of the day — on the stroke of stumps — as he got the prized scalp of Babar Azam. Woakes trapped Babar with one that nipped back in to pick his first wicket in Asia in 2858 days.
Indeed, Woakes’ last wicket in Asia came on December 11, 2016, at the Wankhede. And on that occasion, the batter was none other than Virat Kohli, who by then had already scored 235.
On this occasion, the 35-year-old dismissed Babar for 30 to ensure that the right-hander’s horror streak in Test continued.
Babar has now gone an eye-watering 17 innings without a Test fifty. His last 50+ score came back on Boxing Day 2022 in the first innings of the Karachi Test against New Zealand. He’s since averaged 21.23 in Tests, even crossing the 40-run mark just once.
At 261/1, Pakistan, at one point on Day 1, looked like they might bat England out of the Test. But at 328/4 at stumps on Day 1, the game is very much in the balance.
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