At stumps on the second day of four, Pakistan were 357 for seven in reply to
Northamptonshire’s first innings 259 in their warm-up match at Wantage Road.
Shafiq was 135 not out, with Haris Sohail having made 79 and Babar Azam 57.
Pakistan provide the opposition when Ireland make their Test debut in a match starting in Malahide, near Dublin, on Friday and they then return across the Irish Sea for a two-Test series against England.
Two days of their tour opener against Kent were lost to bad weather without a ball bowled but conditions have so far proved kinder in Northampton where Shafiq, dropped twice, made his 20th first-class century and shared with Sohail a third-wicket stand of 136. Sohail was in good touch but fell trying to hit off-spinner Rob Keogh against the turn when he got a leading edge and was caught at point.
An increasingly fluent Shafiq slog-swept a second six off Keogh before hitting the same bowler to long-on to complete a 98-ball fifty and he later brought up his hundred, Pakistan’s first of the tour, with a well-controlled sweep shot.
Northamptonshire took the new ball but Shafiq responded by taking three boundaries in one over off paceman Gareth Wade – a leg glance, pull and extravagant uppercut over cover.
Azam then enlivened proceedings with an attractive fifty off just 61 balls, including six fours
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