Abdullah Shafique acknowledges team management's support during rough patch

Pakistan's opening batter Abdullah Shafique smashed a stellar century against England in the first innings of the first Test match of the series in Multan. The 24-year-old's knock of 102 runs off 184 balls stabilized Pakistan's innings.

Shafique had been under immense pressure following a string of poor performances, particularly during Pakistan's recent 2-0 Test series defeat against Bangladesh. However, the young opener's recent performance came at a crucial time, forming a 253-run stand with skipper Shan Masood (151 off 177) that put the hosts in a strong position. In the post-day press conference, Shafique thanked Masood and the team management for their support during his lean patch.

As a sportsman, you have to face challenges and go through failures. But I am thankful to the team management and captain for showing faith in me and giving me enough matches and a fair run, because of which I was able to make a comeback," Shafique said.

Also Read: Pakistan capitalize on flat Multan track as Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafique bring up tons on Day 1

You go through mental challenges and self-doubts: Abdullah Shafique

The right-handed batter opened up on the mental challenges and self-doubt that come along with a prolonged slump in form. However, he mentioned the importance of finding ways to overcome these challenges.

"You go through mental challenges and self-doubts, but in the end, you have to find a way out of them and perform," he added.

Shafique's century, along with Masood's aggressive knock, helped the Men in Green end on a strong note on Day with the score standing at 328/4. Meanwhile, the side's current score stands at 549/9 with 146 overs of the game being done. 

"Pitches in Test matches are challenging in the beginning due to the freshness. The pitch was tough to bat on in the first session, but my partnership with Masood boosted the team. We are also hoping for the hard surface in Multan to help the spinners as batting will keep becoming challenging due to the cracks," Shafique concluded.