Shoaib Malik
Malik scored his first Test century for six years to punish England. Getty Images

Shoaib Malik returned from a five-year exile to make a careless England pay, with an unbeaten century putting Pakistan in charge after day one of the first Test in Abu Dhabi. Malik survived being caught off a Stuart Broad no ball when on 40 and went on to make his fifth career hundred and first for six years to pile the misery on the tourists.

Mohammad Hafeez made 98 but was dropped by Ian Bell on seven off James Anderson, who was again left ruing the Warwickshire batsman's wayward slip catching in the penultimate over of the day as he shelled a chance from Asad Shafiq on six. Anderson otherwise enjoyed a decent day taking two wickets to go into the top ten Test wicket-takers in history but it was another day which accentuated the need for England to take every opportunity which comes their way.

After bowling Shan Masood in the third over of the day, Anderson took his 415<sup>th Test scalp in controversial circumstances after video umpire S Ravi overturned an on-field decision of not out after England reviewed an edge against Misbah-ul-Haq (3). The available technology, which does not include sniko or hotspot for this series, showed no conclusive evidence of an edge but the decision was nevertheless reversed.

In the face of adversity, Pakistan showed why they unbeaten in Test series held in the United Arab Emirates as they took their second chances in impressive fashion. Hafeeze and Malik put on 168 for the second wicket as they closed on 286 for 4 and a benign surface means they hold all the aces against a wasteful England heading into day two.