England claim one-sided win in Karachi, rout Pakistan 3-0
England have routed Pakistan 3-0 after winning in Karachi. The visitors chased 167 having made a thunderous start in the final session on Day 3. Ben Duckett (82*) and Ben Stokes (35*) got them home on Day 4. Earlier, Rehan Ahmed entered the record books by taking a five-wicket haul. This is the first time England have whitewashed Pakistan in an away Test series.
How did the match pan out?
Pakistan were bowled out for 304 after electing to bat. England took a 50-run lead, compiling 354. Harry Brook starred with a significant century, his third of the series. Pakistan suffered a batting collapse in the second innings, thereby folding on 216. Rehan haunted them with a fifer. England batters exhibited their 'Bazball' approach to chase the target in mere 28.1 overs (170/2).
Rehan Ahmed becomes youngest ever with fifer on Test debut
At 18 years and 126 days, England leg-spinner Rehan is now the youngest man in Test history to take a five-wicket haul on debut. The youngster broke the record of Cummins, who took 6/79 against South Africa in November 2011. Meanwhile, Rehan recorded figures worth 5/48 in 14.5 overs. He also got rid of Pakistan captain Babar Azam in the innings.
Another feat for Rehan
Rehan took two wickets in the first innings as well, having conceded 89 runs. The youngster recorded match figures of 7/137, the best by an England spinner on Test debut since Peter Such (8/145 vs Australia in 1993).
Abrar Ahmed breaks 70-year-old record
Like Rehan, Pakistan leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed continues to grab eyeballs with his vicious deliveries. He shone with another four-wicket haul, this time in the first innings. Ahmed former now has the most Test wickets for Pakistan after the first three innings since debut. Ahmed broke the 70-year-old record of Fazal Mahmood, who took 14 wickets in his first three Test innings (in October 1952).
Babar Azam completes 1,000 Test runs in 2022
The purple patch of Pakistan captain Babar Azam continues! He slammed his second half-century of the Karachi Test on Day 3. Babar, who fell for a well-made 54, scored 78 in the first innings. In the process, he completed 1,000 runs in the format in 2022. Babar has become the first Pakistan skipper to do so in a calendar year.
Babar breaks this record of Inzamam-ul-Haq
Notably, Inzamam-ul-Haq previously held the record for the most Test runs by a Pakistan skipper in a year (999 runs in 2005). Meanwhile, Babar has amassed 1,009 runs from eight Tests at 67.26 this year. Babar has 10 fifty-plus scores in Test cricket this year. He has equaled Inzamam's record of the most fifty-plus Test scores by a Pakistan captain in a calendar year.
More feats for Babar
Babar is the fourth batsman to have touched the 1,000-run mark in Test cricket in 2022. He is only behind Joe Root (1,098), Usman Khawaja (1,079), and Jonny Bairstow (1,061). In the second innings, Babar registered his 26th Test fifty. It was his 24th fifty-plus score as captain this year, the joint-most by a player across formats in a calendar year, with Ricky Ponting.
Harry Brook slams his third century in consecutive Tests
England batter Harry Brook smashed his third Test century in the first innings. The dasher accomplished the feat in only his fourth Test. Brook raced to his century off just 133 balls. He now has the most runs by an England batter in a Test series in Pakistan. Brook finished as the highest run-scorer of the three-match series.
First England batter with this feat
Brook has become the first England batter to have scored 450+ runs in a Test series in Pakistan. He now tops this list, having broken the record of former England batter David Gower, who 449 runs at 112.25 against Pakistan in 1984. Notably, Dennis Amiss is the only other England batsman with over 400 runs in this regard.
Centuries in three consecutive away Tests
Brook is the eighth England batter to have scored centuries in three consecutive away Tests. Ken Barrington, Jack Hobbs, Wally Hammond, Chris Broad, Root, Andrew Strauss, and Alastair Cook are the other England batters with this feat.
A historic series sweep for England
This is the first time England have swept Pakistan in Pakistan (Test series). They have also won their Test series in the nation in over 22 years. Pakistan defeated England in the 2005 series. Overall, England have won their fourth Test in Pakistan.
