England Trail By 152 Runs As They Lose To Pakistan In 2nd Multan Test

Pakistan records its first home Test victory in three years,8 months and 11 days

Pakistan's Noman Ali (2R) and Sajid Khan (C) celebrate after the dismissal of England's Jamie Smith during the third day of the second Test / /AFP via Getty Images.

By Ian Omoro

The Pakistan cricket team had to wait 3 years, 8 months, and 11 days to win a Test match at home. Nobody could have predicted that they wouldn't be able to win at home for almost 11 years after defeating South Africa by 95 runs on February 8, 2021. After they were defeated 2-0 by Bangladesh last month and England amassed an enormous 823 runs in response to their 556 in the preceding Multan Test, the worries had only intensified.

 Noman finished with career-best results in the match, finishing with 8 for 46 and 11 for 147 after claiming seven of them alone. Sajid took the remaining two wickets, making them the first pair to take all 20 in a Test since Bob Massie and Dennis Lillee in 1972. Lillee took 7 wickets for 111 in the opening innings.

The series is even at 1-1 ahead of the third Test in Rawalpindi thanks to a result that was attained in just three and a half days on a reused surface that Pakistan had believed would aid their spinners. In addition, it gave Shan Masood his first win as captain following a horrifying run of six straight losses.

The fact that Pakistan chose a three-man spin attack that had never played together before, dropping Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Naseem Shah in response to last week's devastating innings loss, made their victory all the more amazing. Zahid Mahmood ultimately only needed to bowl six overs as Sajid and Noman, who was playing his first Test since July 2023, combined to demolish England.

Joe Root and Brook of England had put up a record-breaking fourth-wicket stand in the first Test, but there had been a noticeable change in poise and control. After trying to sweep seven of the eight balls that he faced, Root was hit in the hip while stretching out on the off stump and played over the ball, giving him a leg-before wicket call that was later verified by the umpire.