Pakistan Defeats England: The second Test between England and Pakistan concluded with a lovely victory for Pakistan, who secured a 152-run win. The healthy changed into defined by way of sharp spin, unpredictable pitch conditions, and constant bowling from the Pakistan spinners. This victory has levelled the three-suit collection at 1-1, placing a decisive third Test in Rawalpindi.
England’s Struggles on a Dusty Pitch
England faced a daunting venture, desiring 297 runs to win on a pitch already used for his or her historical first-Test victory. Unfortunately for the tourists, they have been dismissed for just a hundred and forty-four runs earlier than lunch on the fourth day.
Pakistan’s left-arm spinner, Noman Ali, was the star of the day, claiming seven of England’s wickets for just forty-six runs. His suit figures of eleven-147 sealed the win for Pakistan. Noman was supported by off-spinner Sajid, who took nine wickets normally, making it a memorable performance for Pakistan.
Record-Breaking Spin Partnership
Noman and Sajid made records by becoming the seventh pair in Test cricket to percentage all 20 wickets in shape. This tremendous achievement hadn’t been visible considering that 1972. Their lethal spin combination perfectly exploited the conditions, leaving England with little hope.
England’s Missed Opportunities
Despite the tough conditions and the drawback of dropping the toss, England had their possibilities. In the primary innings, they collapsed, losing eight wickets for eighty runs. Dropped catches also proved expensive, particularly while Jamie Smith and Joe Root ignored honest chances within the equal over during Pakistan’s 2nd innings.
The neglected possibilities allowed Pakistan to build a solid lead, and England couldn’t recover.
Pakistan’s Bold Strategy Pays Off
Pakistan took a significant gamble by recycling the pitch from the first Test and making formidable modifications to their lineup. They dropped star batter Babar Azam and key pace bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah in favour of a spin-heavy assault. This decision paid off because the spinners wreaked havoc on the English batting lineup.
Kamran Ghulam’s debut century and the relentless pressure applied through Sajid and Noman had been critical elements in Pakistan’s victory. Ghulam stuffed the void left by Babar Azam and ensured Pakistan had a strong batting basis.
England’s Battling First Innings
England had moments of promise, particularly during their first innings. Ben Duckett’s century become a spotlight as England reached 211-2 in reaction to Pakistan’s 366. However, they did not capitalize on this platform, ultimately being bowled out for 291. Achieving first-innings parity would have given them a far more potent function inside the fit.
England had every other opportunity on the third day to restrict Pakistan’s lead. However, dropped catches off Salman Agha allowed Pakistan to extend their advantage. Salman attained sixty-three runs, setting the fit out of England’s attain.
A Tough Chase for England
Starting the fourth day at 36-2, England faced an uphill battle to chase down 297 runs, a target that might have set several statistics. It would have been their highest hit chase in Asia and the 0.33-maximum away from domestic. However, their hopes had been dashed early, as Ollie Pope was brushed off at the eighth ball of the day.
England’s first-class danger turned into attacking the Pakistan bowlers, but the conditions made it nearly impossible. Noman and Sajid bowled unchanged for 33. Three overs are the longest spell by bowlers in a finished Test innings when you consider that 1956.
England’s centre-order struggled against the spin, with Joe Root and Harry Brook falling to lbw selections and Jamie Smith giving a simple catch to mid-on. Ben Stokes attempted to counter-assault with a sequence of sweeps and opposite sweeps but ultimately became stumped in a comical fashion.
The crumble persevered, and England’s four-healthy winning streak in Pakistan ended.
Looking Ahead to the Decider
The consciousness now shifts to the 1/3 and very last Test in Rawalpindi, in which England will want to regroup. The used pitch in Multan posed enormous challenges, and even as the move to Rawalpindi presents a brand new surface, England ought to count on greater spin-friendly situations.
England captain Ben Stokes remained fine after the fit, acknowledging the issue of the run chase and expressing hope for a chain win in the decider. Pakistan captain Shan Masood, in the meantime, turned elated with the victory, especially after a string of hard suits for his team.
Summary
Pakistan’s formidable strategy and excellent performances from their spinners proved too much for England within the 2d Test. As the series actions to Rawalpindi, the level is set for an interesting finale. Both groups might be eager to steady a series win, but England have to discover a way to counter Pakistan’s spin attack in the event that they desire to emerge triumphant.
