MULTAN, Pakistan (AP) — Captain Shan Masood and Abdullah Shafique hit centuries as Pakistan dominated Day 1 of the first test against a new-look England pace attack on Monday.
Masood, who compiled his first test ton in four years, smashed 151 off 177 balls while Shafique made a fluent 102 to help the home team reach stumps on 328-4.
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Pakistan's Abdullah Shafique, bottom, performs Sajdah, a prayer bow in gratitude to God, after scoring century as England's Joe Root watches during the first day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Pakistan's Abdullah Shafique, right, plays a shot as England's Jamie Smith watches during the first day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
England's Gus Atkinson, left, celebrates with teammate after taking the wicket of Pakistan's Abdullah Shafique during the first day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
England's Jack Leach, center, celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Pakistan's Shan Masood during the first day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Pakistan's Shan Masood, left, and Abdullah Shafique run between during the first day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Pakistan's Abdullah Shafique, right, celebrates with teammate Shan Masood after scoring century during the first day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Pakistan's Shan Masood plays a shot during the first day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Pakistan's Shan Masood celebrates after scoring century during the first day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Pakistan's Abdullah Shafique, left, celebrates with teammate Shan Masood after scoring century during the first day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Pakistan's Abdullah Shafique, center, and Shan Masood, left, run between the wickets as England's Brydon Carse watches during the first day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Pakistan's Abdullah Shafique, left, and Shan Masood run between the wickets during the first day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Pakistan's Saim Ayub walks off the field after his dismissal during the first day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Players of England, left, and Pakistan stand for their national anthem before the start of the play of first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
England's Chris Woakes bowls during the first day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
England's Gus Atkinson, second left, celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Pakistan's Saim Ayub during the first day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
England's Brydon Carse appeals unsuccessfully LBW out of Pakistan's Shan Masood during the first day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Pakistan's Abdullah Shafique plays a shot during the first day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Pakistan's Shan Masood plays a shot during the first day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Pakistan's test team skipper Shan Masood, right, and his England's counterpart Ollie Pope pose for photograph with test series trophy, in Multan, Pakistan, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
England's Brydon Carse, center, hugs with Ben Stokes after receiving test debut before the start of the play of first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
England's Ollie Pope watches after the coin toss before the start of the play of first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Pakistan's Shan Masood, right, shakes hand with England's Ollie Pope after coin toss before the start of the play of first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Pakistan's Shan Masood, right, flips the coin for toss as England's Ollie Pope, left, watches before the start of the play of first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
England took three wickets in the final session, after Masood and Shafique had shared a huge stand of 253 for the second wicket as the visitors toiled in the searing heat of Multan.
Saud Shakeel was unbeaten on 35 and nightwatchman Naseem Shah yet to score at the close of play.
Fast bowler Gus Atkinson, playing his first overseas test, claimed 2-70 while Jack Leach, returning after a spell out of the team, picked up 1-61 on a wicket which had a tinge of grass but gave little assistance to pace or spin.
Chris Woakes trapped Babar Azam lbw for 30 with the second new ball in the penultimate over of the day. Pakistan's former captain hasn’t scored a half-century in his last 17 innings.
Masood, who hit 13 fours and two sixes, and Shafique got on top of off-spinner Shoaib Bashir, who was wicket-less in his 18 overs and conceded 71 runs.
“The way Shan and I made the partnership, it was crucial for us," said Shafique. "Red-ball cricket is not an easy game. The main thing I was focusing on was the process. If I do good things in the process then I’m able to do well in the match.”
Debutant Brydon Carse twice came close to a wicket. Masood successfully overturned on-field umpire Kumar Dharmasena’s lbw decision through a TV referral early in his knock, while stand-in skipper Ollie Pope couldn’t hold onto a low catch at short cover off the same batter.
Shafique also survived a run-out chance when Pope’s under-arm throw from close range missed the stumps at the non-striker’s end, with the batter well-short of his crease in the first session.
Atkinson enjoyed early success when he had Saim Ayub (4) caught by keeper Jamie Smith down the leg side in his second over.
England then had to wait until the final session when Shafique, struggling with cramp soon after reaching his hundred with a six over long-on, offered a tame catch in the covers and fell after hitting 10 fours and two sixes.
Masood also struggled with cramp and followed Shafique when Leach grabbed a low return catch.
Masood, whose last test century came against England in Manchester in 2020, had been under the microscope after losing five successive tests since he was appointed captain last year.
Pakistan's top-order was also criticised after losing the home series to Bangladesh 2-0, during which Shafique scored 42 runs in four innings.
Masood used his feet well against Bashir and pierced the gaps on the off side with precision against the pace bowlers as he reached his century after lunch off 102 balls.
Both teams picked three fast bowlers and two spinners, with Pakistan including pacemen Aamer Jamal, returning from a back injury, Naseem and Shaheen Shah Afridi, along with slow bowlers Abrar Ahmed and Salman Ali Agha.
England test captain Ben Stokes missed the series opener because of a hamstring injury, but he presented a maiden test cap to Durham team-mate Carse, who bowled consistently at 140mph early in his spell.
It is the first test of a three-match series.
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
Pakistan's Abdullah Shafique, bottom, performs Sajdah, a prayer bow in gratitude to God, after scoring century as England's Joe Root watches during the first day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Pakistan's Abdullah Shafique, right, plays a shot as England's Jamie Smith watches during the first day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
England's Gus Atkinson, left, celebrates with teammate after taking the wicket of Pakistan's Abdullah Shafique during the first day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
England's Jack Leach, center, celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Pakistan's Shan Masood during the first day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Pakistan's Shan Masood, left, and Abdullah Shafique run between during the first day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Pakistan's Abdullah Shafique, right, celebrates with teammate Shan Masood after scoring century during the first day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Pakistan's Shan Masood plays a shot during the first day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Pakistan's Shan Masood celebrates after scoring century during the first day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Pakistan's Abdullah Shafique, left, celebrates with teammate Shan Masood after scoring century during the first day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Pakistan's Abdullah Shafique, center, and Shan Masood, left, run between the wickets as England's Brydon Carse watches during the first day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Pakistan's Abdullah Shafique, left, and Shan Masood run between the wickets during the first day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Pakistan's Saim Ayub walks off the field after his dismissal during the first day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Players of England, left, and Pakistan stand for their national anthem before the start of the play of first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
England's Chris Woakes bowls during the first day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
England's Gus Atkinson, second left, celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Pakistan's Saim Ayub during the first day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
England's Brydon Carse appeals unsuccessfully LBW out of Pakistan's Shan Masood during the first day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Pakistan's Abdullah Shafique plays a shot during the first day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Pakistan's Shan Masood plays a shot during the first day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Pakistan's test team skipper Shan Masood, right, and his England's counterpart Ollie Pope pose for photograph with test series trophy, in Multan, Pakistan, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
England's Brydon Carse, center, hugs with Ben Stokes after receiving test debut before the start of the play of first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
England's Ollie Pope watches after the coin toss before the start of the play of first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Pakistan's Shan Masood, right, shakes hand with England's Ollie Pope after coin toss before the start of the play of first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Pakistan's Shan Masood, right, flips the coin for toss as England's Ollie Pope, left, watches before the start of the play of first test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
