Shadab, Faheem revive Pakistan against Ireland

DUBLIN, Ireland: Shadab Khan and debutant Faheem Ashraf both scored maiden Test fifties as Pakistan fought back in Ireland’s inaugural Test match in Dublin on Saturday.

Pakistan were 268 for six when bad light and then rain brought the second day at Malahide to a premature close.

Shadab, in just his second Test, was 52 not out and left-hander Faheem 61 not out, with their unbroken seventh-wicket stand so far worth 109 runs after they had come together at 159 for six.

Pakistan, sent into bat by Ireland captain William Porterfield, lost two wickets in successive balls to be 13 for two, but concerns that Ireland would pay for doing without a specialist spinner were eventually proved to be well-founded.

Middlesex paceman Tim Murtagh led Ireland’s attack with two wickets for 33 runs from 17 overs, with Boyd Rankin taking two for 58 in 17 overs.

It did not take long for Ireland to make a stunning double strike on a pitch offering some sideways movement.

Rankin, the 15th man ever, and the first since Kepler Wessels (Australia and South Africa) 25 years ago, to play Test cricket for two nations, had an uncertain Azhar (4) edging to Porterfield at second slip.

That left Pakistan 13 for one off the last ball of the eighth over. Pakistan were 13 for two off the very next ball, with Imam-ul-Haq lbw for seven to a Murtagh delivery that came back into him.

Shafiq square-cut Kane for four, with left-hander Haris Sohail glancing Stuart Thompson for a legside boundary.

Pakistan, 67 for two at lunch, lost their third wicket soon afterwards when Haris was caught in the gully by Porterfield off Thompson.

Babar Azam (14), pushing hard at a Murtagh delivery that left him off the pitch, was well-held by Paul Stirling at second slip.

Shafiq went on to complete a 107-ball fifty when he pulled Rankin for a single.

But with the towering Rankin, bowling from around the wicket, a similar shot proved Shafiq’s undoing when he found Andrew Balbirnie at square leg.

And when Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed (20) was caught by Stirling in the slips off Thompson, the tourists were 159 for six.

But Shadab and Faheem turned the tide in style.

Faheem, however, did have a break when, on 36, he edged Rankin only for a diving Niall O’Brien to miss the catch and give the obscured Gary Wilson at first slip no chance of taking the ball.

Duly reprieved, he went to fifty in just 52 balls, including seven fours, with Shadab following him to the landmark in 89 balls.

When Stirling did come on, a well-set Faheem launched the part-time spinner over long-on for six.

Bad light saw the players leave the field and after a thunderclap and a heavy downpour, play was abandoned for the day.

Score Board

Ireland won toss

Pakistan 1st Innings

Azhar Ali c Porterfield b Rankin 4

Imam-ul-Haq lbw b Murtagh 7

Haris Sohail c Porterfield b Thompson 31

Asad Shafiq c Balbirnie b Rankin 62

Babar Azam c Stirling b Murtagh 14

*Sarfraz Ahmed c Stirling b Thompson 20

Shadab Khan not out 52

Faheem Ashraf not out 61

Extras (b1, lb10, nb4, w2) 17

Total (6 wkts, 76 overs) 268

To bat: Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Abbas, Rahat Ali

Fall: 1-13, 2-13, 3-71, 4-104, 5-153, 6-159

Bowling: Murtagh 17-4-33-2; Rankin 17-3-58-2 (1nb); Kane 18-2-84-0 (1nb); Thompson 16-2-51-2 (2nb, 1w); K O’Brien 6-1-20-0 (1w); Stirling 2-0-11-0;

Ireland: William Porterfield (capt), Ed Joyce, Andrew Balbirnie, Niall O’Brien (wkt), Paul Stirling, Kevin O’Brien, Gary Wilson, Stuart Thompson, Tyrone Kane, Boyd Rankin and Tim Murtagh

Umpires: Richard Illingworth and Nigel Llong (England). TV umpire: Mark Hawthorne (Ireland). Match referee: Chris Broad (England)