Wed Oct 16 09:50:00 UTC 2024: ## Salman Agha’s Century Saves Pakistan After Controversial Catch in Multan Test

**Multan, Pakistan:** Pakistan took control of the first Test against England in Multan, setting a mammoth target of 556 runs after batting for nearly two full days. Three Pakistani batsmen scored centuries, including Salman Agha who remained unbeaten on 104 runs.

Agha’s innings, however, nearly ended prematurely in a controversial incident. Early in his innings, he launched a six off Jack Leach, with Chris Woakes seemingly taking the catch at the boundary. However, the catch was deemed invalid after a lengthy review. Woakes, while attempting to catch the ball, landed outside the boundary before re-catching it. This gave Agha a reprieve, and he went on to reach a crucial century.

England’s woes continued when opener Ben Duckett injured his finger while taking the final wicket, forcing captain Ollie Pope to open the innings. Pope was quickly dismissed for a duck, adding to England’s growing concerns.

Speaking after the day’s play, Agha admitted to believing he was out when Woakes initially caught the ball. “I did think it was out initially, I was walking towards the dressing room,” Agha said. “The umpire said that he saw that his foot was on the boundary. I don’t really know, I haven’t seen it again. I initially thought I was out.”

With a massive first-innings lead, Pakistan has put themselves in a strong position to win the first Test. England faces a monumental task to chase down the target and avoid a 1-0 deficit in the series.

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