Ganesh Kendale
NEW DELHI: England opener Ben Duckett etched his name in cricketing history on Day 2 of the second Test against Pakistan in Multan by becoming the fastest batter to reach 2,000 Test runs in terms of balls faced.
Duckett’s brilliant knock of 114 off 129 balls, laced with 16 boundaries, was not only a personal milestone but also a crucial effort for England amid a challenging day.
Duckett surpassed the previous record held by New Zealand’s Tim Southee, who had reached the 2,000-run mark in 2,418 balls.
Duckett achieved the feat in just 2,293 deliveries, leaving behind renowned batters like Australia’s Adam Gilchrist (2,483 balls) and India’s Virender Sehwag (2,759 balls) and Rishabh Pant (2,797 balls).
In reply to Pakistan’s first-innings total of 366, Duckett and Zak Crawley provided England with a solid start, adding 73 runs in just 12 overs.
Duckett was particularly effective against spin, using sweeps and reverse sweeps to disrupt Pakistan’s bowlers, bringing up his fourth Test century with ease.
He went on to stitch another important 52-run partnership with Ollie Pope, further consolidating England’s innings.
However, Duckett’s individual brilliance wasn’t enough to prevent a dramatic England collapse later in the day.
Pakistan’s off-spinner Sajid Khan engineered a stunning fightback, dismantling England’s middle order with a four-wicket haul.
Sajid’s spell included key dismissals, such as Duckett, Joe Root, and Harry Brook.
Duckett, who seemed untouchable, eventually nicked one to slip while attempting to drive a sharply turning delivery, leaving England vulnerable at 239/6 by stumps.
