Multan: England defeated Pakistan by an innings and 47 runs in the Multan Test series on Friday.

In the match played at the International Cricket Stadium in Multan, Pakistan started their second incomplete innings with 152 runs for 6 out. Salman Ali Agha was at the wicket with 41 runs and Aamir Jamal with 27 runs.

The entire team of Pakistan got out after scoring 220 runs in the second inning. Salman Agha scored 63 runs, Saud Shakeel scored 29 runs, Saeem Ayub got out after scoring 25 runs.

Apart from this, captain Shan Masood 11, Mohammad Rizwan 10 and Babar Azam got out after scoring 5 runs. Opener Abdullah Shafiq returned to the pavilion without scoring any runs. All-rounder Aamir Jamal remained unbeaten with 55 runs while Abrar Ahmed, suffering from fever, did not come to bat.

Yesterday, Pakistan showed a very disappointing performance in the second innings and six players returned to the pavilion for only 82 runs.

Pakistan scored 556 runs in the first innings thanks to the centuries of Shaan Masood, Abdullah Shafiq and Salman Ali Agha, while in reply England scored 823 runs due to Harry Brook’s triple century and Joe Root’s double century in the first innings with seven players out.

It is pertinent to note that the second Test of the series between Pakistan and England will start on Tuesday in Multan, England has a one-zero lead in the three-Test series against Pakistan.

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to add Pakistani former cricketers to the national selection committee as part of its plan to make changes in the body, which will be revealed officially in a later announcement, sources told Geo News on Friday.

According to the sources, the new additions may include former cricketer Aqib Javed, ex-captain Azhar Ali and former International Cricket Council (ICC) umpire and first-class cricketer Aleem Dar.

However, right-handed batter Asad Shafiq will retain his membership of the committee while Hassan Cheema will serve as the data analyst for the selection team.

Meanwhile, Javed will oversee other key matters of committee, the sources revealed.

Additionally, top-order batter Ali is likely to be tasked with youth development chores.

The current selection committee consists of members such as the captain, head coach and five non-voting members, alongside Shafiq. 

The latest development comes two weeks after former cricketer Muhammad Yousuf resigned from his position.

In a statement on X, Yousuf said: “I announce my resignation as a selector for the Pakistan cricket team for ‘personal reasons’. Serving this incredible team has been a profound privilege, and I am proud to have contributed to the growth and success of Pakistan Cricket”.

In regard to this, the new roles of the captain, head coach, and the non-voting five members in the new selection team is yet to be announced by the national board in the forthcoming week. 

(AFP): England declared their first innings at a mammoth 823-7 before tea on the fourth day of the opening test against Pakistan on Thursday for a lead of 267 runs.

Harry Brook notched up a superb 317 and Joe Root hit 262 as both batsmen made their highest test scores on the flat wicket at the Multan Cricket Stadium.

The 25-year-old Brook clubbed a four-off spinner Saim Ayub to become the sixth Englishman to score 300 or more in Test cricket, achieving the feat off 310 balls, with 28 fours and three sixes.

Andy Sandham of England was the first batsman to score a triple hundred in Test cricket, scoring 325 against the West Indies at Kingston in 1930.

Other Englishmen to score 300 are Len Hutton (364), Wally Hammond (336 not out), Graham Gooch (333 not out) and Bill Edrich (310 not out).

Brook has made rapid strides at the international level since making his debut in 2022.

He knocked three centuries against Pakistan in 2022 — in only his second series, which England won 3-0.

England declare with a lead of 267 runs 🏏

Pakistan’s second innings will commence shortly.#PAKvENG | #TestAtHome pic.twitter.com/iTqboWwUZW

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) October 10, 2024

Brook’s senior partner Joe Root was unlucky not to reach his maiden triple century as he was trapped leg-before by spinner Agha Salman for 262 soon after lunch.

England resumed on 492-3 and looked for quick runs, which Root and Brook provided despite Pakistan’s defensive leg-side bowling, adding 166 runs in 29 overs in the session.

Root, who went past Alastair Cook’s 12,472 to become England’s highest Test run scorer on Wednesday, broke his previous best of 254 which he had also scored against Pakistan at Manchester in 2016.

Pakistan’s only chance came in the first hour when Root, on 186, failed to keep down a pull shot off pace bowler Naseem Shah but Babar Azam shelled the regulation chance at mid-wicket.

Pakistan were without frontline spinner Abrar Ahmed who suffered a fever and did not take the field on Thursday.

The No. 1 seed New York Liberty and No. 2 seed Minnesota Lynx will vie for the 2024 championship in a best-of-five WNBA Finals beginning Thursday (8 p.m. ET, ESPN) with Game 1 in Brooklyn.

Both teams enter the Finals with contrasting histories. The Liberty, one of the league’s original franchises, are still searching for their first title, with last year’s Finals defeat still fresh in their minds.

The Lynx were one of the most storied dynasties in the sport after winning four championships between 2011 and 2017 — the latter also marking the last time they appeared in a Finals series, until this season.

With Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu leading the way, New York was widely expected to be back here heading into Year Two of its superteam formation. Minnesota? Not exactly. The Lynx were 19-21 in 2023 and weren’t picked as a contender ahead of this season. But behind a career year from MVP runner-up Napheesa Collier, Minnesota has proved it belongs on the WNBA’s biggest stage.

Minnesota needed a Game 5 to put away the Connecticut Sun in the semifinals, but it’s fitting the Lynx and Liberty will face off in the Finals. They were the top two teams in the standings, and met in the 2024 Commissioner’s Cup championship game in late June.

ESPN breaks down what to know about each team and what to expect from the championship series.

Regular season series: Minnesota won 3-1, including the Commissioner’s Cup championship game

New York in the playoffs: Swept Atlanta Dream 2-0 in the first round; beat two-time defending champion Las Vegas Aces 3-1 in the semifinals

Minnesota in the playoffs: Swept Phoenix Mercury 2-0 in the first round; beat Connecticut Sun 3-2 in the semifinals

How New York got here: After a standout 2023, the team’s first season after acquiring Stewart, Jonquel Jones and Courtney Vandersloot in free agency, New York retooled its bench to bring in more defense and length, most significantly signing 24-year-old rookie Leonie Fiebich from Germany (who now starts in place of Vandersloot). With enhanced chemistry among their returners, the Liberty finished with a league best 32-8 record, not losing consecutive games at any point this year. — Philippou

How Minnesota got here: The Lynx made key changes in the offseason, bringing in Courtney Williams and Alanna Smith in free agency and trading for Natisha Hiedeman. Kayla McBride and Bridget Carleton have had strong seasons, too. Collier was Defensive Player of the Year along with a second-place MVP finish. Minnesota’s only rough stretch was before the Olympic break, when Collier was dealing with plantar fasciitis. — Voepel

How they match up: There’s a reason these teams occupied the top two spots of the standings: They were the only teams to finish in top-four in both offensive and defensive rating this season, with the Lynx slightly edging the Liberty defensively but New York having the better numbers offensively. Both squads lean on sharing the ball and 3-point shooting, but the Liberty also have the tandem of 6-foot-4 Stewart and 6-6 Jones that can get it done inside.

There’s plenty of star power: Stewart and Jones are former MVPs, Collier the 2024 runner-up. Ionescu, McBride and Williams are playing like three of the best guards in the league. Rotations tend to get shorter in the postseason, but Liberty coach Sandy Brondello and Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve have depth at their disposal, with nine players on each team averaging at least 12 minutes per game on the season. — Philippou

What will most impact the series: How much the Liberty are able to win the paint with Stewart and Jones might be the key to the series. It won’t be easy; Minnesota got even stronger inside with the addition of forward Myisha Hines-Allen on Aug. 20. Stewart is coming off perhaps her best game of the playoffs, with 19 points, 14 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 blocks as New York eliminated Las Vegas on Sunday. But her fellow UConn grad Collier — they played together for the Huskies in the 2015-16 championship season — has been the playoffs’ most impressive player. Tuesday was Collier’s 16th career WNBA postseason game, and her third with at least 25 points and 10 rebounds. — Voepel

New York will win it all if … Ionescu continues to play like the best guard in the league. The former Oregon Ducks star is hungry to win her first championship after not getting a chance to compete for the NCAA title her senior year of college due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After a slump when play resumed following the Olympics, she has been the Liberty’s top scorer in the postseason, averaging 20.7 PPG on 48.9% shooting (46.5% on 3-pointers) plus 5.2 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game. — Philippou

Minnesota will win it all if … Collier asserts herself as much as she has so far in the postseason, and if Minnesota’s 3-point shooting is on point. The Lynx led the WNBA in assists during the regular season; they move the ball incredibly well and spread out even the best defenses. They shot a league-best 38% from behind the arc in the regular season and don’t lack any confidence facing the Liberty. Nor should they, considering their success against New York this season. — Voepel

Which team will win the title, and why:

Philippou: Liberty in 5. New York will win because it has the hunger, focus and experience from last year’s Finals defeat — plus home court advantage — to finally get the job done.

Voepel: Lynx in 5. Minnesota is the No. 2 seed, but was the better team head-to-head in its previous matchups with New York. The Lynx have played very consistently and cohesively all season, and they can add the league title to their Commissioner’s Cup championship from June.