MULTAN (WS News) – Pakistan ended 15-month long winless streak here on Friday when they defeated England by 152 runs on the fourth morning of the second Test at Multan Cricket Stadium to level the three-match series 1-1.
Pakistan last won a Test on July 27, 2023 when they defeated Sri Lanka by an innings and 222 runs in Colombo. Their last victory on home soil in February 2021 was against South Africa. Pakistan have played 11 Tests at home losing seven and drawing four.
Sajid Khan has been declared player of the match.
Earlier, England resumed their second innings on the fourth morning at 36 for two but could not survive the first session and were spun out for 144 runs by spinning duo of Sajid Khan and Noman Ali. Interestingly, all 20 English wickets were grabbed by the spinners.
Noman claimed eight wickets for 46 runs and Sajid captured two conceding 93 runs in the second innings.
For England, skipper Ben Stokes was the topscorer with 37 runs. Brydon Carse contributed 27, Ollie Pope 22, Joe Root 18 and Harry Brook 16 runs to the team’s total.
Vice captain Pope fell in the second over of the day, giving off-spinner Sajid a return catch before left-arm spinner Noman ran amok.
Noman dealt the tourists a body blow when he trapped Root lbw, a decision the batter reviewed but could not get overturned.
Brook fell to Noman in a similar fashion and England slumped to 88-6 when Jamie Smith was sent packing.
Stokes has played some match-defining knocks in his illustrious career and England badly needed a similar innings from him.
The captain, scoring at a run-a-ball rate, came dancing down the track against Noman and swung his bat only for it to fly out of his hands to midwicket.
Pakistan wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan had all the time in the world to collect the ball and whip off the bail with Stokes well out of the crease.
The third and final Test begins in Rawalpindi on Thursday.
SHAN MASOOD SPEAKS
In his post-match comments, skipper Shan Masood said that every cricket aficionado wished Pakistan win a Test.
“We needed 20 wickets and we grabbed them and won the match. The 75-run first innings lead gave the opponents a challenging target,” he added.
The skipper gave credit to Nauman and Sajid who led the team to a much needed victory.
He vowed to repeat the same performance in Rawalpindi Test.
“We were sad to lose last two series. In some matches, we got close but could not win.”
Masood said he took criticism positively. “I learn a lot from [criticism].
DAY THREE
Pakistan set England a tricky victory target of 297 and then reduced the touring side to 36 for two on an eventful third day of the second Test to stay on course for a series-levelling victory on Thursday.
Salman Agha, dropped twice early in his knock, smashed a belligerent 63 as Pakistan posted 221 all out in their second innings in the spin-dominated contest.
It left England substantial total to win the match and take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-test series but their batters struggled against the turning ball on a track where spinners from both sides have done well.
England, still 261 runs behind their target, will expect vice captain Ollie Pope (21) and batting mainstay Joe Root (12) to put their chase back on track when play resumes on Friday.
Earlier, Sajid Khan claimed seven wickets as Pakistan bowled England out for 291 to grab a handy lead of 75 at the Multan Cricket Stadium.
England, resuming on 239-6, lost their remaining four wickets in the first hour.
Off-spinner Sajid dismissed Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts and Shoaib Bashir to finish with impressive figures of 7-111.
Left-arm spinner Noman Ali claimed the remaining three as England lost all 10 wickets to Pakistan’s spin-heavy attack, which has Aamer Jamal as the lone seamer.
Recognising the nature of the track, England captain Ben Stokes began with spin from both ends, putting in off-spinner Bashir with left-arm spinner Jack Leach.
Stokes stayed with spin even when Leach had to be rested, pressing part-time off-spinner Root into service.
Bashir drew first blood when he had Pakistan opener Abdullah Shafique caught behind for four. England successfully reviewed the original not-out decision and replays confirmed the faintest of edges.
Bashir (4-66) then dismissed Shan Masood for 11 after the Pakistan captain tried to flick a ball only to offer an edge to Ollie Pope at second slip.
Opener Saim Ayub (22) looked comfortable before falling to the same Pope-Bashir combination in the final delivery before the lunch break.
Kamran Ghulam, who smashed a hundred in the first innings of his debut test, made a fluent 26 before Leach trapped him lbw.
Carse dismissed Mohammad Rizwan for 23 but could only watch in horror as wicketkeeper Jamie Smith and slip fielder Root spilled regulation catches after the seamer produced two edges in three deliveries from Salman.
Salman went on to add 65 runs with Sajid (22) for the ninth wicket before he was bounced out by Carse.
England stuttered early in their victory pursuit.
Opener Ben Duckett, who smashed a rapid hundred in the first innings, fell for a two-ball duck fluffing his sweep shot against Sajid.
Zak Crawley (three) did not last long either and was stumped after left-arm spinner Noman Ali deceived him with a flighted delivery.
Root reverse-swept the final delivery of the day for a four to signal his intention of not letting the Pakistan spinners dictate terms.
