DUBLIN – Pakistan faces early setback in its historic test match againstIreland as Pakistan was 13 for two with successive deliveries on the secondday at Malahide on Saturday.
Boyd Rankin, who had previously taken one wicket in a lone Test appearancefor England before switching to Ireland, made the breakthrough.
With the last ball of the eighth over, Rankin had Azhar Ali out for fourruns as he edged tentatively to Ireland captain William Porterfield atsecond slip.
And the very next ball 13 for one became 13 for two when left-handerImam-ul-Haq, who was also making his Test debut, was lbw for seven to a TimMurtagh delivery that came back into him.
The Test got off to a dramatic start when Imam was injured on the firstball.
Azhar Ali dug out a single off the opening delivery from Tim Murtagh andcalled for a quick legside single. Non-striker Imam, in scrambling tocomplete the run, found himself sandwiched between wicket-keeper NiallO’Brien and Tyrone Kane in a heavy collision.
The 22-year-old left-hander was left flat on the ground and needed severalminutes´ treatment on the field.
But he recovered and faced his first ball, the second of the match, fromMurtagh with Imam, who had had a cold press applied to the back of hisneck, playing and missing before he saw out the remainder of the over at asunny Malahide.
Earlier, Ireland won the toss and decided to bowl first against Pakistan inthe historic match.