England have been left hunting a Multan miracle with a record chase needed to beat Pakistan in the second Test, but Sky Sports pundits Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain insist the team have a chance with the scenario “made for” captain Ben Stokes.
Friday’s day four, live on Sky Sports Cricket from 5.50am (first ball 6am)is likely to see a thrilling finale to an epic Test, which Pakistan took control of on Thursday by setting an error-prone England 297 to win in their fourth innings and then dismissing both openers.
England will resume on 36-2, still 261 runs short of what would be, by some distance, their record chase in Asia – and on an unpredictable pitch that continues to crack and provide endless spin on its eighth day of service.
A successful chase, therefore, would be one of the biggest achievements of the revolutionary Bazball era that has already provided so much. England couldn’t – could they?
“Pakistan have manoeuvred themselves into a very strong position,” said Atherton on Sky Sports Cricket as the hosts look to tie the three-Test series.
“England will need their highest-ever run chase in Asia, and will need more runs than any side has ever managed in a fourth innings in Pakistan, apart from a very strong Australian side.
“That’s a measure of the task in front of England. They showed by not sending out a nightwatchman and that final shot from Joe Root (a reverse sweep for four) that they’re going to have a crack at it, and you wouldn’t expect anything less from a side led by Ben Stokes.
“There’s a lot of belief in that side, but it is an extremely tough challenge. They won’t shirk it.”
Root (12no) will be joined by Ollie Pope (21no) in leading England out on Friday, aiming to bounce back from a day that Pakistan dominated as much through their own skill and perseverance – spinner Sajid Khan (7-111 first innings, 1-27 second) and Salman Agha (63) impressing – as the visitors’ errors, with dropped catches and errant shots.
During a mistake-laden afternoon session, Stokes was evidently frustrated, but – while out of practice with the bat after injury – the captain may yet hold the key to the England run chase, as he has so many times before.
“It’s fascinating,” agreed Nasser. “An absolutely brilliant day of Test match cricket – the last two days have been incredibly watchable.
“It’s not an uneven contest between bat and ball… they’ve not gone too far the other way – as you can see from the runs that have been scored, by Salman Agha down the order.
“It can’t be that much of a minefield, so England still have a chance.
“Root is a key wicket. My only concern is Stokes and him being out of rhythm with his batting, having not batted for so long… but this is made for him. He loves this sort of run chase.”
England tempering belief with realism
Wrestling the team’s impressive recent history with the records of old and the pitch of now, England assistant coach Paul Collingwood said the team are aware of the challenge ahead but are still filled with “belief”.
“It will be one hell of an effort if we can (win),” he told Sky Sports. “But there’s belief in the dressing room, it’s as simple as that.
“We’ve got to be realistic. It’s going to be difficult with the amount of cracks on the pitch.
“We have done some special things in the past, broken records, but we’ve got to be realistic that it will be a tough, tough chase.”
England achieved their record Test chase (378-3 vs India in 2022) during Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum’s so-far successful era, but victory here would require them to beat their previous best in Asia by 88 runs, having won with a fourth-innings score of 209 in Lahore in 1961.
The record chase at Multan, meanwhile, came from Pakistan 21 years ago – 262-9.
But Atherton concluded: “There’s no way England won’t be thinking about the win.
“The way England have played under a three-year period under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, they’ve got a self-belief to win from any situation. Like Collingwood alluded to, as observers you look at it with a degree of realism as well, England have never made this many runs batting fourth in Asia before.
“The reality of the situation is that Pakistan are in a very strong position and are favourites to win this game, but England have that belief and they will come out with a feeling they have a chance of winning this game.”
First Test: Multan – October 7-11 – England won by an innings and 47 runs
Second Test: Multan – October 15-19
Third Test: Rawalpindi – October 24-28
Watch day four of the second Test between Pakistan and England in Multan, live on Sky Sports Cricket and Main Event from 5.50am on Friday, ahead of play starting from 6am. Stream with NOW
