Spinner Noman Ali starred as Pakistan crushed England by 152 runs in the second Test. The match took place on Friday in Multan, leveling the series 1-1. Noman claimed 8 wickets for 46 runs. His teammate Sajid Khan supported with 2 wickets for 93 runs. Together, they wrapped up England’s second innings for just 144 runs. The visitors faced a daunting target of 297 runs.
This victory marks Pakistan’s first win at home in Test cricket since February 2021. Their last home victory came against South Africa.
England’s Struggles
England resumed their second innings on the fourth day, starting at 36 for 2. Ollie Pope (21*) and Joe Root (12*) faced a tough challenge. Sajid Khan struck first, dismissing Pope early for just one run. Noman Ali then joined the action. He quickly sent Root (18) and Harry Brook (16) back to the pavilion. England found themselves reeling at 78 for 5 while chasing a big target.
Captain Ben Stokes and Brydon Carse offered some resistance. They put together a 36-run stand for the seventh wicket. However, Stokes fell to Noman after a lively innings of 37 runs from just 32 balls. He hit four boundaries before getting stumped. Carse, who scored 27 runs off 32 balls, also succumbed to Noman.
In a spectacular finish, Noman claimed the final two wickets on consecutive balls. He finished with impressive bowling figures of 8 for 46.
Pakistan’s Bowling Dominance
Sajid Khan, who led the bowling attack in the first innings, took 7 wickets for 111 runs. He had earlier dismissed Ben Duckett, who scored a century in England’s first innings, on just the third ball of the innings. Noman Ali also dismissed Zak Crawley (3) early in the innings.
Pakistan’s first innings ended with them scoring 366 runs. Debutant Kamran Ghulam shone with the bat, scoring 118 runs. In response, England managed 291 runs in their first innings. Duckett’s century was crucial in keeping England competitive.
Jack Leach was England’s standout bowler in Pakistan’s first innings, taking four wickets. Brydon Carse and Matthew Potts contributed with three and two wickets, respectively.
Changes in the Teams
Both teams made several changes to their playing XI. Pakistan made four changes, replacing Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Abrar Ahmed. They brought in Kamran Ghulam, Sajid Khan, Noman Ali, and Zahid Mahmood.
England made two changes, introducing captain Ben Stokes and Matthew Potts. They replaced Chris Woakes and Gus Atkinson.
Final Remarks
Pakistan’s victory reflects their strong bowling performance. The team looks forward to building on this momentum as they prepare for the next match. Fans are hopeful for a thrilling series as the teams continue to battle it out on the field.
With this win, Pakistan shows that they can compete strongly at home. Their next challenge will be to maintain this form in upcoming fixtures.
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