Ben Duckett dislocated his left thumb while attempting to catch Abrar Ahmed’s edged delivery during the second day of the first Test match between Pakistan and England in Multan. His injury occurred as England struggled against Pakistan’s formidable batting, which saw the hosts amass an impressive 556 runs in their first innings. Duckett’s dislocation adds to England’s injury woes, forcing immediate changes to their batting order.
Setback for England’s Batting Strategy
England’s captain, Ollie Pope, faced a daunting challenge as the team’s bowlers laboured for over a day to dismiss Pakistan’s batsmen. To expedite the end of the innings, Pope opted to bring in Joe Root, renowned for his part-time bowling, hoping for a breakthrough.
Root’s short delivery to Abrar Ahmed caught the batter off-guard, leading to an edge that Duckett, positioned in slips, caught. However, the effort came at a significant cost; Duckett experienced severe pain when the ball impacted his thumb. The injury was serious enough that he immediately signalled to the medical staff, and it was later confirmed that he had completely dislocated his thumb.
Impact on the Match Dynamics
Duckett’s injury compounded England’s existing troubles, with star all-rounder Ben Stokes already sidelined due to injury and Mark Wood ruled out of the series with a stress fracture.
In Duckett’s absence, Ollie Pope stepped up to open but also fell victim to an extraordinary catch by young Pakistani bowler Aamer Jamal, who dismissed him while attempting a pull shot.
Duckett, unable to return to bat due to the dislocation, left the English team struggling as they sought to stabilize their innings with Joe Root (32) and Zak Crawley (64) at the crease. Both batsmen played cautiously, trying to repair the damage after the early dismissals.
With Pakistan’s batters, including Abdullah Shafique (102), Shan Masood (151), and Salman Agha (104*), showcasing impressive form, England finds itself in a challenging position. The home team established a solid foundation, pushing England further into the corner. As the match progresses, the visitors must regroup quickly to tackle the ongoing challenges posed by their injuries and Pakistan’s commanding performance.
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