Pakistan level series against England

AFP | Multan                                                 

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Email: hussainm@newsobahrain.com

Spinner Noman Ali took eight wickets as Pakistan crushed England by 152 runs in the second Test to level the series yesterday in Multan.

Noman grabbed 8-46 and Sajid Khan took 2-93 as the pair wrapped up England’s second innings for 144 after the visitors were set a daunting target of 297.

It was Pakistan’s first home win since February 2021 and came after they were thumped by an innings in the first Test on the same Multan pitch.

The third and final Test starts in Rawalpindi on October 24.

Noman finished with a match haul of 11-147 while Sajid had figures of 9-204, only the second time in Pakistan’s history that two bowlers took all 20 wickets in a Test.

Pakistan’s last Test win at home came against South Africa in Rawalpindi more than three years ago. It was followed by 11 home Tests without a win.

This also becomes Shan Masood’s first win as skipper after getting the job last year, including 3-0 and 2-0 whitewashes at the hands of Australia and Bangladesh.

Pakistan’s ploy of dropping ace batsman Babar Azam in one of four changes after the first Test and playing on a reused pitch with three spinners paid off handsomely. Azam’s replacement, debutant Kamran Ghulam, made a century to anchor Pakistan’s first-innings 366.

Masood praised his side for their character. “The first one (win) for me and long awaited for the team is always special,” said Masood. “This has come after some rough times and the boys stepped in after a lot has happened this past week.”

The captain, who like his team had been under fierce pressure in cricket-mad Pakistan, added: “We came up with a strategy to get 20 wickets and we made it happen.

“We were never afraid of taking risks. Three years and 11 months creates hunger, so it’s good to win at home.”

‘Tough ask’

England, who made 291 in their first innings, came into the fourth day firmly up against it after losing openers Zak Crawley (three) and Ben Duckett (nought) late on Thursday.

Resuming at 36-2 on a reused pitch offering sharp spin, Ben Stokes’ men managed to add just 108 runs before folding.

“When Pakistan were ahead of the game they could really put their foot down,” said the England skipper. “It was a tough ask for us, but the way we took the game on today was the only way we could win.”

In just the second over of the day off-spinner Sajid -- one of Pakistan’s four changes from the first Test -- removed Ollie Pope with a sharp turning delivery and caught the miscued drive off his own bowling.

Pope made 22. Noman then trapped first-Test history-maker Joe Root leg-before for 18 and Harry Brook for 16 to leave England facing defeat at 78-5.

Brook smashed an epic 317 and Root a brilliant 262 -- eclipsing Alastair Cook’s England Test run record -- in the first match, and their dismissals signalled England’s demise was fast approaching.

Noman’s fourth wicket came in the form of Jamie Smith, whose uppish slog sweep was held by Masood at mid-on.

Smith scored six. Stokes and Brydon Carse fought hard to take the total to 125 when Stokes was stumped in a comical manner, jumping out of the crease to loft Noman but missing the ball as his bat flew out of his hands.

Noman wrapped up the match with the wickets of Carse (27), Jack Leach (one) and Shoaib Bashir (nought), improving his previous best of 7-70 against Sri Lanka in Colombo last year.