Shaheen Afridi removes Phil Salt first ball in perfect Pakistan start

Pakistan secured a dream start against England as Shaheen Shah Afridi dismissed opener Phil Salt for a golden duck on the very first delivery.

The left-arm pacer produced an immediate breakthrough to put the visiting side on the back foot instantly.

Salt, attempting to assert dominance early, was caught by Usman Khan to hand the hosts a vital advantage.

Immediate impact

It was exactly the opening the home side had targeted in their bid to dismantle the English top order.

The dismissal of such a dynamic ball-striker without a run on the board disrupts the tourists’ powerplay strategy significantly.

Shaheen has long held a reputation for taking wickets in the opening over, and he delivered once again with clinical precision.

England under pressure

Usman Khan made no mistake in the field, taking a sharp catch to silence the opener.

The jubilant celebrations from the Pakistan camp highlighted the massive importance of removing the Lancashire wicketkeeper-batter so cheaply.

England now face the task of rebuilding their innings after suffering the worst possible start to the contest.