Pakistan Endures Another Home Humiliation After England’s Dominant Victory
Pakistan faced another disappointing defeat in international cricket, losing to England by an innings and 47 runs in the first Test of the three-match series. The home team struggled, bowled out for just 220 runs in their second innings, much to the dismay of fans.
Fifth Day Highlights
At the beginning of the fifth day, Salman Agha and Aamer Jamal were at the crease. Both batsmen completed their half-centuries, with Jamal finishing not out at 55 runs from 104 deliveries. However, Agha fell to an LBW decision off Jack Leach after scoring 63 runs off 84 balls. Shaheen Shah Afridi was also dismissed by Leach, caught and bowled after scoring 10 runs off 14 balls. Naseem Shah managed only six runs from three deliveries before being stumped off Leach’s bowling. Abrar Ahmed did not participate in the match due to illness.
England’s Bowling Prowess
Jack Leach was the standout bowler for England, claiming four wickets during Pakistan’s second innings and taking all three wickets that fell on the final day. This defeat left Pakistan as the only team without a Test match victory at home since 2022. The team has faced series losses against England, Australia, and Bangladesh, currently trailing 0-1 in the ongoing series against England.
Shan Masood’s Captaincy Struggles
This defeat marked Pakistan’s sixth consecutive loss under the captaincy of Shan Masood. The troubling streak began with a 0-3 defeat in the away series against Australia, followed by a surprising 0-2 loss at home to Bangladesh, which marked Pakistan’s first-ever Test defeat against that nation. The team’s struggles continued with this heavy loss to England.
After the innings defeat, Masood criticized his bowlers, stating, “We’ve spoken about the third innings, but it’s a team game. When you put 550 on the board, it’s important to back it up with 10 wickets, and that’s what we didn’t do. That’s the key. The onus is to set the game up well and finish it off. We should learn from England; they found ways to take 20 wickets. That’s the challenge the side has going forward.” He emphasized the need for a squad mentality and the importance of both scoring runs and taking wickets.
Unprecedented Record
In a historic turn of events, Pakistan became the first team to lose a Test match after scoring over 550 runs in the first innings. During the fourth day of play in Multan, Pakistani batsmen struggled in their second innings, managing only 152 runs for the loss of six wickets after England set a record total of 823 runs in their first innings. Opener Abdullah Shafique was dismissed for a golden duck by Chris Woakes, while Saim Ayub scored 25 runs before being caught off a delivery by Carse.
Shan Masood contributed 11 runs, and Babar Azam added five runs before being dismissed. Mohammad Rizwan was bowled by Carse for 10 runs, leaving Pakistan in a difficult position. Saud Shakeel managed 29 runs before being stumped off a Jack Leach delivery, with Salman Agha and Aamer Jamal at the crease at stumps on Day 4, scoring 41 and 29 runs, respectively.
England’s Dominance
On the other hand, England took a commanding lead in the first Test, declaring their innings at 823 for 7, which gave them a 267-run advantage in the first innings. This match, part of England’s tour of Pakistan, showcased the visitors’ impressive batting capabilities, capitalizing on a flat pitch.
The England batting lineup exhibited remarkable depth, with multiple players making significant contributions. Joe Root led the charge with an outstanding 262 runs from 375 balls, while Ben Duckett supported him well with 84 runs off 75 deliveries. Zak Crawley added 78 runs from 85 balls, but the highlight of the innings was Harry Brook, who achieved a stunning 317 runs, significantly boosting England’s total.
The team’s total of 823 ranks among the highest scores in Test cricket history, and they maintained a brisk run rate of 5.48 throughout their innings. The last ten overs were particularly fruitful, yielding 81 runs at an impressive rate of 8.10 runs per over. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s bowlers struggled to make an impact, grappling with pitch conditions that offered little assistance. Ultimately, Pakistan suffered an innings defeat despite scoring over 500 runs in their first innings—an unprecedented occurrence in the sport’s history.
