Pakistan ended their long winless streak at home with a commanding 152-run victory over England in the second Test in Multan on October 18. This win marks Pakistan’s first Test triumph on home soil since February 2021 and the first under captain Shan Masood, following significant squad changes after a heavy loss in the series opener.
Match Summary
Debutant Kamran Ghulam was the standout performer for Pakistan, scoring a gritty 118 off 224 balls, helping the team reach a first-innings total of 366 on a challenging Multan pitch. England started strong, reaching 211-2 on the second day with Ben Duckett and Joe Root looking settled. However, Pakistan’s Sajid Khan sparked a dramatic collapse, taking seven wickets and limiting England to 291, giving Pakistan a 75-run lead.
In their second innings, Pakistan added 221 runs, setting England a challenging target of 297 on a deteriorating pitch. England’s batting struggled against Pakistan’s spinners, particularly Noman Ali, who claimed a career-best 8/46. Together with Sajid, Noman dismantled the English batting lineup for just 144 runs.
This impressive bowling performance secured Pakistan a memorable 152-run victory, ending their joint-longest streak without a home Test win and boosting their position in the World Test Championship (WTC) rankings.
WTC Points Table
With this win, Pakistan improved from the bottom of the table to eighth place, increasing their points percentage from 16.67% to 25.92%. Despite the defeat, England remains in fourth place, with their points percentage slipping from 45.59% to 43.06%. This victory is a turning point for Pakistan cricket, offering renewed hope and setting a positive tone for the remainder of their Test season.
Leave a Reply