2nd Test: Pakistan earn crucial win over England, level series
Pakistan have beaten England in the 2nd Test match held in Multan. After suffering a telling defeat in the previous Test, the hosts showed a lot of character to get the job done this time. Day 4 saw England resume on 36/2, needing another 261 runs to win. However, Pakistan bowlers did an able job and bowled the visitors out (144/10).
Pakistan take crucial lead in the 1st innings
Pakistan scored 366 runs in their 1st innings, riding on Saim Ayub's 77 and Kamran Ghulam's century (118). Jack Leach claimed 4/114 for the visiting side while Brydon Carse took a three-fer. England were 211/2 at one stage before suffering a collapse to be ultimately folded for 291. Sajid Khan claimed seven wickets. Ben Duckett was instrumental. He smashed 114 runs.
Pakistan score 221 in their 2nd innings
The hosts did a reasonable job by scoring 221 runs in their 2nd innings. Notably, they were 114/5 at one stage and things looked bleak. However, Agha Salman walked in and made his presence felt. His gritty 63 saw Pakistan score 221. Having been dropped early on, the in-form player thwarted England. Shoaib Bashir claimed a four-fer whereas Leach took three wickets.
England falter in the chase
England were in for a massive challenge and Pakistan used their two spin bowlers to choke England. Noman Ali was the star for the hosts in the 4th innings of the contest. Ben Stokes was England's top scorer with 37 runs.
Noman floors England with 8 wickets in 4th innings
Pakistan bowled 33.3 overs of spin in the 4th innings and Noman was the star. He claimed 8 wickets for just 46 runs from 16.3 overs (1 maiden). As per ESPNcricinfo, Noman clocked the 2nd-best figures in an innings for Pakistan versus England in Tests. Abdul Qadir holds the record (9/56 in 1987).
Maiden 10-wicket match haul for Noman in Tests
Noman claimed three wickets in England's first innings and followed that up with an eight-fer. With 11 scalps, this is now his maiden 10-wicket haul in a Test match (11/147). Noman took his 5th five-wicket haul (innings). He owns 58 wickets at 29.70.
Sajid Khan deserves the plaudits as well
Fellow Pakistan spinner, Sajid, was solid with the ball as well. He was sensational in England's score of 291, picking figures worth 7/111. In the 4th innings, he managed 2/93 from 17 overs. Sajid owns 34 scalps from nine matches at 34.05. He owns two five-wicket hauls and a match-haul of 10 scalps. 29 of Sajid's wickets have come in Asia at 31.75.
History made by Pakistan's spin duo
Sajid and Noman claimed all 20 wickets of England in the 2nd Test. As per Cricbuzz, they are now the 7th duo to take all 20 scalps in a Test match. They are also the 2nd Pakistani pair to attain the feat after F Mahmood (13) & Khan Mohammad (7) vs AUS, Karachi, 1956.
Do you know?
For the first time since the year 1987, two Pakistani spinners have taken a five-wicket haul in the same match. Overall, this is the seventh instance for Pakistan.
Ben Duckett completes 2,000 Test runs with 4th century
Duckett slammed his fourth Test century and went past 2,000 runs during his stay. He entered the game, requiring 88 runs to get the mark. Duckett ended up with 114 runs. His knock had 16 fours as he struck at a handsome 88.37. The tally now includes four tons and 11 fifties. This was his second Test ton versus Pakistan.
Duckett makes these records as well
Duckett scored 114 and 0 in this match. During his knock of 114, he surpassed 1,500 runs (1,583) in the ICC World Test Championship. He became the 7th player from England with 1,500-plus WTC runs. He has three tons and nine fifties. Meanwhile, Duckett also completed 1,000 runs in Asia. In 14 matches (26 innings) on Asian soil, Duckett owns 1,008 runs.
Leach claims 7 wickets in the match
England's left-arm spinner, Jack Leach, played a crucial role in bowling Pakistan out for 366 in their first innings. Leach took four wickets for 114 runs, spearheading the English bowling attack. He claimed another three scalps in the next outing. In 38 matches, Leach owns 140 wickets at 33.61. 77 of his wickets have come in Asia at 31-plus average.
Bashir does a reasonable job
After taking 1/85 in the first innings, right-arm spinner Bashir took four wickets (4/66) in the 3rd innings of the match. In 11 Test matches for England, Bashir has raced to 38 scalps at 37.23. This was his maiden four-fer in Tests (Fifers: 3).
Agha Salman slams his 9th Test fifty
Salman walked in when his side was 114/5 at one stage. His heroics helped Pakistan get to 221. Salman had earlier smashed scores worth 104* and 63 in the first Test against England. In the first innings, he managed 31. Across four innings, he owns 261 runs at 87. Salman has raced to 1,190 runs at an average of 47.60 (50s: 9, 100s: 3).
Kamran Ghulam smokes century on Test debut
Ghulam made a dream debut in the 2nd Test, replacing Babar Azam. He ended up scoring 118 runs from 224 balls, hitting 11 fours and a six. Ghulam, 29, became the second-oldest batter to slam a century for Pakistan on his Test debut. He is only behind Abid Ali, who was 32 when he smoked a debut Test century versus Sri Lanka in 2019.
