Malik’s century puts Pakistan on top in opening Test

Younis Khan became Pakistan’s all-time leading run scorer in Test cricket and Shoaib Malik scored his first century in almost six years, as the home side posted 286-4 at the end of the opening day of the first Test against England in Abu Dhabi.

The 37-year-old Younis clobbered Moeen Ali for six over mid-wicket early in the evening session to surpass the 8,832-run marker set by Javed Miandad, the man considered Pakistan’s greatest ever batsman.

The few Pakistan fans in a sparse crowd broke the subdued atmosphere to cheer their man, while the Pakistan dressing room gave him a standing ovation for the feat achieved in his 102nd match – 22 fewer than Miandad, who played the last of his 124 Test matches in December 1993.

Younis was eventually out for 38, caught by England skipper Alastair Cook off the bowling of Stuart Broad, with Asad Shafiq (11 not out) and Malik (124 not out) unbeaten at the close.

Returning to the side after a five-year absence, Malik hit his third Test century overall and his first since 2009.

It was a steady knock but one which contained one large moment of fortune: Broad overstepping in the first over after lunch rendered the edge to Joe Root in the gully irrelevant.

It was one of three gifts afforded to Pakistan during a day when England threatened to shoot themselves in the foot after being asked to bowl in hot conditions and on a track which offered little assistance to bowlers.

Earlier, Mohammad Hafeez breezed to 98 with some smart stroke-play, particularly against England’s debutant spinner Adil Rashid, before succumbing leg before to Ben Stokes’ last ball before tea.

Also cursing his luck was Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq after being given out by the TV umpire for edging Anderson to wicketkeeper Jos Buttler but without any assistance from Snicko or Hotspot, which are not in used in this series.

The wicket would have been seen as reward for England, who having been plundered for 74 runs off 96 balls at the start of the evening session by Younis and Malik, tightened things up in the last hour of play.

Scorecard:

Pakistan 268-4 (Malik 124*, Anderson 2-29)