Mohammad Abbas claimed four wickets to give Pakistan the early advantage on the first day of the second Test against England at Lord's Cricket Ground in London. Despite a rocky start and a weather-shortened day, England managed to reach 248-9 by the close of play.

After winning the toss and electing to bowl on a muggy Thursday morning, Pakistan's bowlers, particularly Abbas, capitalized on favorable conditions. The experienced seamer took three wickets for 34 runs before lunch, dismantling England's top order and leaving the hosts struggling at 80-4 at the break. This performance put Pakistan in command, especially after their significant defeat in the first Test.

England, however, showed resilience. Led by half-centuries from Jordan Cox and Jamie Smith, they recovered from a precarious 120-5. Cox scored 55 runs, while Smith contributed an aggressive 61. Later, Gus Atkinson added a valuable unbeaten 34, swinging the bat effectively to help repair some of the damage before bad light halted play.

The match saw the return of Pakistan captain Babar Azam, who had missed the first Test. Abbas, who had a memorable eight-wicket haul at Lord's eight years prior, found the conditions to his liking once again. His skillful bowling dismantled England's early lineup, including the crucial wicket of England captain Joe Root.

Abbas's first victim was Emilio Gay, caught behind by Mohammad Rizwan. Ben Duckett was dismissed leg before wicket (LBW) after a review. Root was also trapped LBW by Abbas, and Harry Brook was bowled by Mohammad Ali with an inswinger. The team's batting order struggled initially, with Dan Lawrence being run out after a risky single.

Later in the innings, an extraordinary one-handed catch by substitute fielder Salman Agha dismissed Jordan Cox. Jamie Smith, who was looking dangerous, was removed by Ali, who then took the wicket of Ollie Robinson for a duck in quick succession. Abbas secured his fourth wicket by trapping Jofra Archer LBW.

The day's play was significantly impacted by rain delays and an early close due to bad light. This limited the total overs bowled and provided a challenging environment for both teams. The resilience shown by England's lower order, particularly Atkinson, prevented a complete collapse and set up a potentially intriguing second day.

With England ending on 248-9, the stage is set for a compelling second day of the second Test. Pakistan will be looking to wrap up the innings quickly, while England will aim to build on the lower-order contributions and set a challenging target.