Pakistan vs England: Misbah-ul-Haq century puts Pakistan in control but England dig in to take four wickets

Pakistan 282-4

Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan run between the wickets on day one of the Second Test with England (Getty Images)

If ever there was proof that life begins at 40, Misbah-ul-Haq, the Pakistan captain, provided it on the first day of this second Test against England.

Aged 41 and with his future in international cricket in question beyond this three-match series, Misbah defied his advancing years to become the oldest player to score a Test century since the Australian Bob Simpson in 1978.

Simpson reached his landmark against India at Adelaide in January of that year, when he was five days short of his 42nd birthday.

Misbah, though, did not look a man who was ready to be pensioned off as he scored his ninth Test hundred, an innings that helped Pakistan recover from 178 for 4 early in the evening session to reach the close on 282 for 4.

The way he reached three figures was as audacious as it was brilliant. Starting the final over of the day on 87, Misbah sent the first delivery from Moeen Ali sailing over the square-leg boundary for six. Two balls later, he launched the England spinner into the stands again, this time over long on, to move on to 99.

He then ensured he would finish the day with a hundred by nonchalantly reverse-sweeping Moeen through point for two.

England celebrate the wicket of Shoaib Malik (Getty Images)

Michael Vaughan, the former England captain sitting in the media centre here in Dubai and five months Misbah’s junior, looked on in awe.

“That is the way he plays,” said Waqar Younis, the Pakistan coach. “When you are close to the end of the day and people bring the fielders in, he is comfortable hitting over the top, he has done it before – this is not the first time.

“We’ve been saying for the last three years he’s getting better with age. I don’t think age is a barrier if you are fit and have the hunger.

“He has said before this series, you never know that this might be his last one so he wants to make the most of it. We don’t know what he wants to do but the way he is batting, Pakistan need him.”

Misbah’s century, which came in 190 balls, has put Pakistan in a good position, but it is by no means yet a match-winning one.

England, though, will be frustrated that their disciplined bowling performance did not offer them more reward after Alastair Cook again lost the toss, just as he did in the first Test in Abu Dhabi.

After a frustrating first hour, when James Anderson and Stuart Broad failed to make any headway with the new ball, Pakistan reached 50 without loss inside 15 overs.

It was Moeen who made the breakthrough with the second delivery after the drinks break, offering Jonny Bairstow a bat-pad chance at short leg to dismiss Mohammad Afeez.

Bairstow was again the fielder, still stationed in the same position, when Pakistan were reduced to 58 for 2 three overs later.

Ben Stokes, a doubt for this match after suffering a vomiting bug 48 hours before the start, was the bowler, Shoaib Malik clipping the ball into Bairstow’s chest and the Yorkshireman taking a terrific reaction catch at the second attempt. Shoaib was a big wicket for England given he had taken the game away from them in the first Test with a first-innings 245.

Pakistan, though, saw themselves through to lunch safely, reaching 85 for 2 as Shan Masood compiled his second Test half-century.

Masood had been under pressure for his place after failing twice in the first Test. He may have even been dropped had Azhar Ali not been called back to Pakistan following the death of his mother-in-law.

His 54 here eased that pressure but the interval did him no favours as he edged the first ball of the afternoon session from Anderson behind. Pakistan were now 85 for 3.

That dismissal brought Misbah to the crease and he sucked the enthusiasm out of England’s attack alongside Younis Khan, the pair batting through the remainder of the session to take their side into tea on 178 for 3.

The fourth-wicket pair’s 93-run stand had allowed Pakistan to recover from a precarious position. But that recovery was checked in the third over of the evening session when Younis, who became his country’s leading run-scorer in Tests last week in Abu Dhabi, was strangled by Mark Wood down the legside.

With 25 overs before England would eventually take the second new ball, there was an opportunity for Cook’s side to take a grip on this contest.

Unfortunately for them it was Misbah who seized the moment, adding an unbroken stand of 104 with Asad Shafiq by the end of the day.

England, aware they came from nowhere to almost win the series opener, remain optimistic they can regain the balance of power in a match that remains finely poised.

“We’re pretty frustrated,” said Wood. “I think we bowled well as a group. I don’t think we’ll be too disheartened, we can hold our heads up high.

“We can absolutely still win. If we knock over their tail quickly like we did in the last game then I think it’s all to play for.”

As for Misbah? “I had a good battle with him,” said Wood. “I tried to rough him up but he dealt with it really well and came out with a hundred. I guess that’s 1-0 to him.”