Pakistan have lost another Test match at home, this time against England. They have not managed a single win in Test cricket since 2022. This marks England’s fourth consecutive Test win in Pakistan, following a 3-0 series win two years ago.
On October 11, England secured victory in the first Test against Pakistan in Multan, with Jack Leach leading the bowling attack. Leach took 4-30, helping dismiss Pakistan for 200 on Day 5, winning by an innings and 47 runs.
A record partnership between Harry Brook and Joe Root earlier shifted the match in England’s favour. Leach’s dismissal of Salman Agha for 63 ended Pakistan’s only significant partnership in the innings.
Pakistan were in danger of losing the match a day early when Salman and Aamer Jamal came together with the score on 82-6.
But the duo saw out the remainder of play and made England wait for another 12 overs on the final day — adding 109 — before Leach struck to open the floodgates.
Leach then took a smart return catch to get Shaheen Shah Afridi for ten and then had Naseem Shah stumped for six, wrapping up Pakistan’s second innings.
Last man Abrar Ahmed was unable to bat after being taken to hospital with a high fever.
Ollie Pope England’s captain
Ollie Pope, standing in for injured skipper Ben Stokes, was full of praise for Brook and Root’s heroics.
“Credit to them for the skills and determination to put the team in a winning position,” he said.
Brook smashed 317 and Root a record-setting 262 in England’s mammoth 823-7 declared, giving the visitors a 267-run lead.
Their 454, England’s highest-ever partnership for any wicket in Test cricket, gave the visitors an improbable advantage after Pakistan’s impressive 556 first-innings total.
But by close of play on the fourth day on a lifeless pitch, England had posted the fourth-highest Test innings total of 823-7 and taken total control of the match with the hosts teetering at 152-6.
Along the way, Root became the highest run scorer for England in Test history.
Pope was also pleased by the grit shown by England’s inexperienced attack.
“Our bowlers got the odd ball to reverse and spin,” he said of Gus Atkinson who took 2-46 and debutant Brydon Carse who finished with 2-66.
