PAK vs ENG Live, 2nd Test Day 1: Covers are back on field; Pakistan 126-5

Pakistan cricket team was tottering at 126-5 as rain again stopped play in the post tea session on Day 1 of England vs Pakistan 2nd Test ar The Ageas Bowl, Manchester today. In post tea session, England pacers made full use of seaming conditions and scalped three wickets -- Abid Ali, Asad Shafiq and Fawad Alam -- before rain stopped play. For Pakistan, Abid completed his half century before Sam Curran finds the outside edge. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan were at crease when umpires called the covers in.

Check ICC Test Championship latest news and points table here

Earlier, Azhar Ali's struggles continued as the Pakistan captain was dismissed by Jimmy Anderson soon after lunch before more rain brought another delay to the opening day of the second test.

Pakistan was 85-2, with Abid Ali on 49 and Babar Azam on 7, when a heavy shower landed on the Rose Bowl and forced the players off less than an hour into the middle session on a day of changing weather in Southampton.

Azhar was in need of runs after making only 139 in his last 12 away test innings but fell for 20 off 85 balls by edging Anderson low to Rory Burns at second slip. He didn't add to his score at lunch and it gave England's all-time leading wicket-taker his second of the day, after trapping Shan Masood for 1 in the third over.

Anderson, who kept his place despite bowling poorly in the first test won by England by three wickets last week, had 2-24 off 12 overs.

Abid was dropped twice in the slips before lunch, firstly by Dom Sibley at third slip on 0 and then Rory Burns at second slip on 21. He also was rapped on the box off a delivery from Chris Woakes.

Pakistan, which won the toss under sunny skies, is 1-0 down in the three-match series.

Another victory for England will clinch a first test series against Pakistan in 10 years, and a second series of this pandemic-affected summer having already beaten the West Indies.

Playing 11 of both the teams: