MULTAN, (TDI): Noman Ali and Sajid Khan teamed up brilliantly for the second time in the match, leading Pakistan to their first home Test victory since 2021 by bowling out England for a commanding 152-run win at Multan Cricket Stadium on Friday.
In a remarkable session, eight wickets fell in less than two hours as England went down in a flurry of aggressive sweeps and reverse-sweeps.
Noman dominated the bowling with a stunning performance, claiming seven wickets to finish with match figures of 8 for 46 and 11 for 147.
Sajid, who took 7 for 111 in the first innings, contributed with the other two wickets, making them the first pair since Dennis Lillee and Bob Massie in 1972 to take all 20 wickets in a Test match.
This decisive result, achieved in just over three days on a well-worn pitch that favored spin, leveled the series at 1-1 ahead of the third Test in Rawalpindi.
It also marked Shan Masood’s first victory as captain, ending a difficult streak of six consecutive defeats.
Although it was day four of the Test, the pitch had already hosted nine days of play, showing consistent turn. England’s Ollie Pope and Joe Root had practiced their sweeps before play resumed, signaling their aggressive intent to chase down the 261 runs needed for victory. However, the plan quickly unraveled.
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Pope fell early, poking Sajid’s second delivery straight back to the bowler. Harry Brook and Root both tried to sweep but struggled for control. Root, who managed only eight balls before being given lbw after an attempted sweep, became the next casualty. Brook’s aggressive approach also backfired as he was trapped in front by Noman after 21 deliveries, leaving England reeling at 78 for 5.
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The situation worsened for England as Jamie Smith fell to a top-edge shortly after hitting Noman for four.
Ben Stokes provided a brief spark, scoring 37 quickly before a wild swing left him stumped by Mohammad Rizwan, a metaphor for England’s faltering grip on the match.
Noman continued to wreak havoc, dismissing Brydon Carse after a brief flurry of sixes, followed by quick wickets of Jack Leach and Shoaib Bashir, sealing Pakistan’s emphatic victory and showcasing their spin prowess on a challenging pitch.
