In what can only be called a shocking incident, Gunshots were fired just a kilometre away from the England team's hotel ahead of the 2nd Test vs Pakistan in Multan.
The team's practice session was unaffected, but this is sure to raise security concerns. The shots were heard before the team was about to leave for a pratice session. The team, however, has received a presidential level of security, and the Pakistan police have already made 4 arrests in the case.
As far as cricket goes, England put up a spirited performance against Pakistan, scored tank load of runs and took 20 wickets and won the match by 74 runs.
England Brings In The Heat
Wood replaced allrounder Liam Livingstone, who returned home after injuring his knee during the first test.
“Having someone in your squad who can bowl at 150 kph is a massive bonus for any team. Having someone of this calibre and what he brings, how he bowls is going to be massive for us. He is going to add to our ability to take 20 wickets,” England captain Ben Stokes said of Wood on Thursday.
Wood hasn't played a test since March when he sustained an elbow injury.
He missed the entire English county season and returned to international cricket during England's seven-match Twenty20 series in Pakistan in September.
But a hip injury sidelined him from the climax of the triumphant T20 World Cup campaign in Australia.
Ollie Pope was retained behind the wickets after replacing an ill Ben Foakes for the first test. Pope scored a century and made six catches and a stumping.
Focus On Foakes
Stokes stressed Foakes remained their prime glovesman but at the moment Pope's role as a batter and wicketkeeper perfectly suited the team combination.
“The performance that Popey put in was outstanding. To stand behind the stumps for the amount of time that he did after scoring a hundred and then standing in the field especially as someone who's not used to doing that role,” Stokes said.
With Shaheen Afridi injured and out of the entire three-match series, Pakistan's bowling resources were further depleted when paceman Haris Rauf was ruled out of the remaining two tests after injuring his right thigh during his debut test at Rawalpindi.
Come the 2nd Test, Pakistan would want to bring forward their A-game. This, however, might take a herculean effort from Babar's men as the England side are on a fiery roll.
