Masood stands firm for Pakistan

Opener Shan Masood hit a half-century to help Pakistan recover after losing two early wickets on the opening day of the second Test against England.

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Opener Shan Masood hit a half-century to help Pakistan recover after losing two early wickets on the opening day of the second Test against England in Dubai on Thursday.

The left-hander was unbeaten on 54 as Pakistan, who won the toss and decided to bat, reached 85-2 at lunch at Dubai stadium.

Senior batsman Younis Khan was unbeaten on 10 after the two lifted Pakistan from 58-2 with some solid batting, following the dismissal of Mohammad Hafeez for 19 and Shoaib Malik for just two.

Masood, who failed in both innings of the drawn first Test in Abu Dhabi last week, drove paceman Stuart Broad to point to complete his second fifty in Tests.

He has so far hit seven boundaries and a six off 86 balls.

Despite traces of grass the pitch offered little for the pacemen and England introduced spinner Moeen Ali as early as the seventh over.

Hafeez struck a boundary off the first ball of Ali's fifth over but was caught bat-pad by Jonny Bairstow at short leg off the very next delivery.

Malik, who scored a brilliant 245 in the first Test, lasted just nine balls before playing a short-pitched Ben Stokes delivery into the hands of Bairstow, who caught it on the second attempt.

Pakistan brought back fit-again leg-spinner Yasir Shah, who missed the first Test with a back spasm, leaving out paceman Rahat Ali.

England remained unchanged from the drawn first Test, in which bad light denied them a dramatic victory. – AFP